house? guest: they are things clean. karoline leavitt spoke to reporters. they will convene the national security council. we do not know if that will be in the situation room or the cabinet room. the schedule is like. we know v.p. vance flew out to california late last week. i imagine all the top players are going to stay close to home in d.c. to be able to react to any situation that might arise in the next few hours. host: how does this change the calculus for the nato summit kicking off in brussels tomorrow, i believe? [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2025] >> watch the rest of this on our free c-span now video app. as we take you now to the u.s. capitol where the shouse gaveling in. this is live coverage on c-span. y chaplain kibben. y chaplain kibben: would you pray with me? god of mercy and compassion,

though the earth rages with unen quenchable hostility, the fog of war blurs the truth on the ground and all the while innocents are targeted by the virile wrath of their oppressor we hope you will help us find peace. whatever side we are on help make us instruments of peace. in a world of pay hey tread may each tear to forgive. when we are overwhelm with despair and want only to fight our way out, give us trust that your plan will make its way in us. when your inclination toward conflict overrides our seeking of understanding, grant us your pardon and redeem our warring ways. may this be the prayer of all your people that no one side feels that it alone bears the burden of making things right. may enemies find within themselveses the humility to seek peace.

and may allies uphold their faith in you to make it happen. in your sovereign re-- in your sovereign name we pray, amen. the speaker: amen. the chair has examined the the speaker: the chair has examined the journal of the last day's proceedings and announces to the house the approval thereof pursuant to clause 1 of rule 1 the journal stands approved. the pledge of allegiance will be led by the gentlewoman from minnesota, mismccollum. ms. mccollum: i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. the speaker: the chair will entertain requests for one-minute speeches. for what purpose does the gentleman from pennsylvania seek recognition? mr. thompson: mr. speaker, request unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and to revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. thompson: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today to recognize an outstanding group of students from wells bro, pennsylvania. the team from rock el butler

middle school recently placed fifth in the nation in this year's capitol hill challenge, a remarkable achievement. the 16-week financial education competition brings together thousands of student teams from across the country, each asked with investing a hypothetical $100,000 in the stock market. the goal, to learn the fundamentals of financial literacy, teamwork and long-term investing. competing against students from every congressional district, the team stood out, not only for their strong returns but for their discipline and collaboration and commitment to learning. their performance reflects the dedication of their teachers and the support of the wellsborrow community. i had the pleasure of meeting these students during their visit to washington and i can confidently say the future is in good hands. congratulations to the rockell butler middle school team on this incredible accomplishment. thank you, mr. speaker. and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields.

for what purpose does the gentlewoman from minnesota seek recognition? ms. mccollum: to address the house for one minute, revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentlewoman is recognized for one minute. ms. mccollum: mr. speaker, nine days ago minnesota suffered the unbearable loss of one of our nation's finest public servants. the targeted assassination of melissa and mark hortman kasatkina a long shadow of greeght not only a over minnesota but our nation. under her leadership, speaker horton left the state of minnesota better than she left it -- better than she found it. as we mourn the loss of melissa and mark, i join minnesotans to pray for senator john huffman and his wife, yvette, as they recover. as minnesota's top leader in human services, senator huffman shepherded historic investments for the most vulnerable among us, the elderly, those with disabilities, both seen and unseen, and those recovering from addiction.

the grief that minnesotans have endured in the days since this tragedy, it's beeni agonizing. as we come together to heal, may we find comfort in the words of melissa and mark's children. hope and resilience are the enemy of fear. i yield back, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? mr. lamalfa: i ask unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. lamalfa: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise in sadness for the loss of a friend from northern california. sam jackson. known as samuel burling jackson. he's a life long rancher, the legacy of the jackson family just goes on for generations. he was a navy veteran, very dedicated to the ranching life up there.

as well as making it a stronger industry, agriculture and ranching for others as well, on the services did he on various committees and associations he was part of. born in 1932 raised on the jackson ranch in edgewood, california, he was the fourth samuel jackson at that time. my understanding now with the latest, there's actually eight sam jacksons in the family. served in the navy and the korean war, earned his degree in animal husbandry. and returned home to raise a family and build a life rooted in faith, hard work and stewardship of the land. fierce advocate for agriculture as i mentioned. protecting water rights, ranch trag digses and farmland -- ranching traditions and farmland. he raised himself four children and 10 grandchildren, leaving a legacy of love and leadership. and he was just a great friend personally here. at the barbeques and such. i might end up behind the barbeque wagon, maybe having early times with 7-up in it and

what a great friend he was. a guy that loved life and loved to share it with others and stand up for what was right as an american. greatly appreciated him. here's the picture i want to have everybody think of him as as well. i think that's magnificent there in his home county on his lands. what a leader. what a great man. i'm better to have known him. god bless him. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. for what purpose does the gentleman from north carolina seek recognition? mr. davis: mr. speaker, i ask for unanimous consent to address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. davis: mr. speaker, i rise to recognize juneteenth and the communities across eastern north carolina who celebrated with joy, unity and meaningful reflection. from wilson to columbia, and to the rocky mount, there was

wonderful dancing with boots on the ground and plenty of delicious food and spirited singing. residents came together as a community to celebrate freedom. an american value. i thank every organizer and volunteer who helped make these events possible. i also thank all who participated and especially our youth. mr. speaker, we were able to honor the past and renew our commitment to a more prosperous future. thank you. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. for what purpose does the gentleman from california seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i seek unanimous consent to revise and extend, address the house for one minute and revise and extend my remarks. the speaker pro tempore: without objection, the gentleman is recognized for one minute. mr. kiley: mr. speaker, the elimination of iran's nuclear weapons capacity is not just important for policy objective. it is an absolute national security imperative.

this has long been a point of bipartisan, nonpartisan consensus. iran cannot get a nuclear weapon. the targeted yet overwhelming strikes executed this past weekend were precisely tailored to achieve that limited yet vital mission. let's remember who we're dealing with here. the iranian regime is the world's foremost sponsor of terror. they have funded monsters sporntionered violence -- sponsored violence and sewn chaos far beyond their borders. their all-consuming obsession is the obliteration of america's principal ally in the middle east and they have avowed death to america itself. it is dlfer deeply disturbing to see the reflectsive partnership reactions by certain members of congress. either they believe iran should obtain a nuclear weapon or they hope the regime's nuclear program will magicly disappear on its own. both positions are equally dleucial. it is -- delusional.

it is time to put partnership aside and come together as a country. this is not just another political issue. it is about the safety and security of the american people and the future of civilization itself. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the chair lays before the house the following enrolled bill. the clerk: senate 331. an act to amend the controlled substances act with respect to the scheduling of fentanyl-related substances and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, the chair will postpone further proceedings today on motions to suspend the rules on which a recorded vote or the yeas and nays are ordered. or votes are objected to under clause 6 of rule 206789 the house will resume -- 20. the house will resume proceedings on postponed questions at a later time. for what purpose does the gentleman from tennessee seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i move the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 260, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill.

the clerk: h.r. 260. a bill to require a strategy to oppose financial and material support by foreign countries and nongovernmental organizations to the taliban and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from tennessee, mr. burchett, and the gentleman from illinois, mr. jackson, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from tennessee. mr. burchett: thank you, mr. speaker. i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous materials on this measure. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. burchett: and i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. burchett: thank you, mr. speaker. my bill, h.r. 260, focuses on three main issues. one, keeping financial and material support out of the hands of the taliban. two, reporting on cash assistance programs. and three, reporting on the afghan fund and the afghan central bank. since december of 2021, the

united states has spent over $5 billion in cash -- has sent over $5 billion in cash to about a cull -- to kabul. this money has been taxed and stolen by the taliban, yet we continue to send it. mr. speaker, that neebdz to end. the state department needs to ensure that any aid does not go to terrorists in afghanistan. we need to have a clear understanding of the influence the taliban has on not just international aid but afghan baking systems as well. when this bill was originally introduced at the end of 2023, it did not mention nongovernmental organizations in afghanistan. however, our understanding of the reality on the ground has changed. during a hearing last year, former secretary of state blinken admitted that over $10 million had been paid to the taliban. contacts within taliban resistance forces have provided me with a different narrative. according to them, nearly all of the cash aid sent to afghanistan ends up in the hands of taliban. mr. speaker, they will hate us for free, we do not need to give them hard-earned american tax

dollars. it's time we know what's going on and implement a strategy to make sure this aid goes to those who need it. i'd also like to thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for working with us closely on this important piece of legislation and coming up with a big that works for both parties. my democratic friends agree it is time to stop funding terrorist organizations in afghanistan and across the middle east. i'd also like to thank my dear friend, sean ryan from middle, tennessee, former navy s.e.a.l., he brought this to my attention, and my good friend, legend, who is also -- he goes by that name because he has a hit out on his life. because he's taken a tough stand, he's an afghan that fought for america. and he's my friend. and thank you and i reserve my remaining time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the chair recognizes the gentleman from illinois. mr. jackson: mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 260, and i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. jackson: i'd like to thank my dear friend and honorable

colleague, the honorable tim burchett, from the great state of tennessee. mr. speaker, oversight of u.s. policy towards afghanistan does not have to be a partisan issue. we can all agree we do not want american dollars sent to afghanistan to be diverted to the taliban. however, we must do so in a way that does not further alienate those partners. after already reeling from the trump administration's foreign assistance freeze, which terminated nearly all humanitarian assistance to afghanistan, despite its compliance with u.s. law and policy. so i'm glad that mr. burchett was willing to work with democrats to address many of our concerns about this legislation. i'm also glad that this legislation contains important amendments offered by the honorable representative kamlager-dove, to require additional reporting on a network, representative keating too has asked that we ensure

that the strategy required by this bill prioritize afghan women and girls as well as afghan allies. ... these amendments adopted wih bipartisan support underscore that there remain areas of bipartisan agreement in the house about afghan policy. unfortunately there's not a consensus on what the trump administration is doing in afghanistan because they won't tell us. the state department has ignored multiple, bipartisan requests from this committee date back to february, about deals it's making with taliban, despite the fact that the republican-led congress enacted a law to codify efforts. secretary rubio is dismantling our help for allies.

he has removed the help for women and girls in afghanistan. we urgently need more information and assurances from the trump administration about their priorities in afghanistan and now iran. and i hope my colleagues on the other side will stand up for our committee's oversight responsibility for now. we have the opportunity to work together on this legislation. i want to thank again the honorable congressman tim burchett and the great bipartisan advocates. i encourage my colleagues to join in supporting this measure and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from tennessee is recognized. mr. burchett: i have no more speakers. i reserve until the gentleman yields back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from illinois is recognized. mr. jackson: i have no further requests for time and i'm prepared to close if the other side has no further speakers.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from illinois is recognized. mr. jackson: our afghan allies risked their lives for america. the united states must continue to do everything it can to support our partners on the ground providing assistance assistance to afghan civilians including women and children while also ensuring u.s. foreign assistance isn't being diverted into the hands of the taliban. there remains considerable areas of bipartisan consensus in congress when it comes to our afghanistan policy. this legislation will lean on the consensus to help bolster our committee's oversight power and give to our afghan allies the support they deserve. i hope my colleagues will gin me in supporting this bill and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman from caan is -- from tennessee is recognized. mr. burchett: i appreciate the

kind words that representative jackson said about me. he's probably one of my closest friends across the aisle. don't agree with him on anything but he's my friend. and i dig that. mr. speaker, we must send a very strong message that the united states will no longer tolerate sending u.s. tax dollars to terrorist organizations. in afghanistan and across the middle east. i urge my colleagues to support this measure and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 260 as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rues are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. without objection, the title is amended. for what purpose does the gentleman from tennessee seek recognition? mr. burchett: mr. speaker, i move the house suspend the rules and pass h.r. 1998 as amended.

the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 199, a bill to require the imposition of sanctions with respect to foreign persons engaged in piracy and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from tennessee, mr. burchett, and the gentleman from illinois, mr. jackson, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from tennessee. mr. burchett: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous materials on this measure. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. burchett: i ask unanimous consent to introduce into the record exchanges of letters with other committees of referral on this bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. burchett: i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. burchett: i rise in support of h.r. 1998, the sanction see sea pirates act introduced by my

dear friend representative jackson. that is a strong statement of intent that congress will not tolerate the sea piracy that threatens trade across the globe. sea piracy is an age-old problem, it's very brute. a it's a violent crime that endangers the lives of merchant say already, disrupts trade and cause massive economic losses. america has long stood against sea piracy however in recent years piracy has been on the rise. pirates, often based out of somalia, have taken advantage of disruptions by the houthi in the red sea and gulf of aiden. the result has been a disturbing spike in piracy in the area. this bill supports using ongoing military efforts by the u.s. and its partners to combat rye pai rahcy and safeguard trade in this strategic waterway. it imposes full visa sanctions against any person who engages

in piracy. and by leveraging the power of the united states, we can help end sea piracy and ensure the safety of merchant say horse. i have i support this legislation and reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from illinois is recognized. mr. jackson: i rise in support of h.r. 1998 and yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. jackson: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise to support my bill sanctioning sea pirates act. over the last few years we have seen and been reminded how fragile global supply chains can be and how the closing of narrow physical choke points can lead to shortages and inflation. more than 30% of global containers trade -- global container trade passes through the red sea. if the waters can't be navigated because of piracy and terrorism, americans will continue to feel the costs here at home.

unfortunately we are now seeing exactly what we are trying to prevent. ships traversing the red sea and gulf of aiden face two major threats and more mounting from the houthis who continue to perpetrate piracy on the high seas and from somalian pirates plundering and pillaging at rates unseen in a decade my bill proposes to -- proposes sanctions on any pirates around the world blocking assets in or associated with the united states and denying them entry into our country. as an international leader in trade and security, the united states must seek to stop piracy around the world. this is america on its finest trying to help facilitate global trade. stopping piracy around the world and we must secure global waterways for the safety of ship, crew member, and critical ship dependent supply chains mitch bill is also necessary to

step to ensure the development of african economies generate greater prosperity through stability in somalia. no country can be expected to grow and prosper while facing serious piracy threats. we cannot allow violent criminals and terrorists to continue stunting the economic development of somalia and the surrounding region. beyond direct threats to the united states and somalia, piracy is often linked to terrorism and crime. this bill reaffirms the united states' position as a global economic and security leader and i would like to thank all of you for helping to move this bill through the house. we strongly believe that this is a necessary step toward greater stability and safety for both the united states and east africa. attacks on maritime shipping endanger innocent lie, raise the cost of goods and destabilize local communities in yemen and the horn of africa.

for american national and economic security, we must pass this legislation and crack down on global piracy. i urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation and reserve the balance of my time. i encourage my colleagues to join in supporting this measure and i reserve the balance. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from tennessee is recognized. mr. burchett: i have no more speakers and will reserve until the gentleman yields back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from illinois is recognized. mr. jackson: to advance global security and economic prosperity, the united states must seek to stop piracy around the world. mr. speaker, the question is on a motion offered by the gentleman from tennessee that the house suspend the rules and agree to h.r. 1998. those in favor say aye. those opposed say no. thank you.

i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman from tennessee is recognized. mr. burchett: thank you, mr. speaker. i urge the body to pass the sanction sea pirates act and send an unmistakable message that the united states stands firmly against sea piracy and i'm committed to ensuring freedom of navigation against crime in the high seas. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the question is, will the house and fast the will as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed -- mr. burchett: i request the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. those in favor of taking this vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having risen, the yeas and nays are ordered. pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this

question will be postponed.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? >> mr. speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1737. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 121, h.r. 1737. a bill to direct the secretary of commerce to submit to congress a report containing an assessment of the value, cost,

and feasibility of a transatlantic submarine fiber optic cable connecting the contiguous united states, united states virgin islands, ghana, and nigh jeeria. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from florida, mr. bilirakis, and the gentleman from new jersey, mr. pallone, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from florida. mr. bilirakis: thank you, mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the record on the bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. bilirakis: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. bilirakis: thank you, appreciate it. i rise today, mr. speaker, on behalf of h.r. 1737, i'm advocating for this particular bill. the bill would direct the secretary of commerce to submit a report on the value, cost and feasibility of developing a

transatlantic submarine cable connecting the united states, the u.s. virgin islands, ghana and nigeria. submarine cables are critical components of communications infrastructure carrying data, traffic -- carrying data traffic across oceans. there are more than 600 active and planned submarine cable systems that keep the world connected. but there's no cable connecting the united states to the continent of africa. a transatlantic submarine cable could provide national security benefits to the united states, given africa's strategic importance and is an important issue to study, in my opinion. i would like to thank delegate plaskett and representative fulcher for their leadership on this particular bill and i urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of h.r. 1737 and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves.

the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. pallone: i rise in strong support of h.r. 1737, a bill requiring the national from the telecommunications and informing administration, nia, to assess the cost and feasibility of a transtransatlantic submarine cable connecting the united states to the u.s. virgin islands, ghana and nigerian it also direct them to report to congress on the current telecommunications between the united states and u.s.er have gin islands, including infrastructure linking the two. this will provide congress this will help us determine whether american interests can be served by connecting the u.s. and the african continent with

undersea cable infrastructure by way of the u.s. virgin islands. this bill is an important step to enhance american communications security and competitiveness around the world. in recent years, mr. speaker, the united states and many allies have recognized the threat posed by untrusted chinese telecommunications equipment to our national security and thanks to the work of the energy and commerce committee in congress, we have taken steps to remove suspect equipment and software from american communications networks to protect against sabotage and undue influence by our adversaries. much of this work has been done on a bipartisan basis. one noteworthy example is the legislation congress passed to force a divestment of tiktok from ownership by companies owned by the chinese communist party which passed overwhelmingly with hundreds of democrats and republican votes. that's why i was frustrated to learn last week that president trump again unlawfully granted tiktok an extension, allowing

china to infiltrate american networks for another 90 days. president trump's disregard for the law is well known at this point. but i was more disappointed that none of my republican colleagues had the courage to call on the president to enforce the law. trump's stall tactics are allowing china to continue to collect massive amounts of information on americans. there are american companies that want to buy tiktok. it's long past time for trump to get this done. there's also still more work to be done because network security does not end at the water's edge. for decades china and otherred a never says -- other adversaries have spent considerable time and money to get communications infrastructure across the african continent. the assessment required in this bill is an important step to understand the costs of securing the connection between the united states and our african allies and how best to ensure a critical imloabl communication -- global communications channel is protected from the prying eyes of our adversaries. let me thank -- i want to thank representative stacey plaskett of the u.s. virgin islands for

her leadership on this bill. and also representative fulcher as well, on this effort. so i urge my colleague on both sides of the aisle to support -- my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this bill and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the president. the chair recognizes the gentleman from florida. mr. bilirakis: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the chair recognizes the gentleman from new jersey. mr. pallone: mr. speaker, i was going to yield such time as she may consume now to representative stacey plaskett of the virgin islands. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. ms. plaskett: thank you very much. ranking member pallone. and thank you to this body. i want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for recognizing the national security interests of this legislation, h.r. 1737, to direct the assistant secretary of commerce for communications and information to submit to congress a report containing an assessment of the value, costs and feasibility of developing

this trans-atlantic submarine fiber optic cable that's been discussed. today hundreds of undersea fiber optic cables connect north america to europe, south america and asia. but not a single cable directly links north america to the african continent. this represents both a strategic vulnerability and a missed economic opportunity. the diaspora linked act represents an opportunity to establish a high-speed, secure telecommunications data connection to africa from american soil, to facilitate deepened economic connections and aid american regional security assistance. this link will allow america to establish a direct digital presence on the african continent. both to capitalize on emerging economic opportunities and to protect our nation against cyber and military threats.

the study would examine lagos, nigeria and ghana as potential african landing points. both cities serve as established telecommunications hubs with existing undersea cable infrastructure linking west africa to europe and south america. the presence of american embassies in both locations offer critical security benefits for cable operations. our adversarial nations are rapidly expanding their influence across the african continent and a direct american telecommunications link to the continent is a strategic necessity. china has systemically expanded its telecommunications and military presence across africa. the chinese multinational huawei has constructed roughly 70% of africa's information technology infrastructure. china is pursuing the same strategy in the caribbean where at least 10 nations have signed

belt and road agreements. china's expansion into africa and the caribbean makes establishing our own direct telecommunications link to these regions a strategic necessity. russia as well has destabilized africa through disinformation campaigns and mercenary operations, positioning itself as an alternative to western partnerships, while fueling anti-democratic sentiment. this strategy has made africa a flashpoint in the global strategic competition between russia and the west. moscow's support for authoritarian governments includes backing multiple coups in nigeria, mali, sudan, guinea that directly threaten democratic progress. our adversaries aristically exploit -- are statistically --

systemically exploiting africa's wealth while we lack direct access. russia and china are extracting critical resources across the continent. uranium from niner, the world's seventh largest producer, gold and lithium from a mali's extensive deposit, cobalt from the democratic republic of congress. boxite and phosphate from bureau kina faso. these materials are essential to technology as well as defense industries. we cannot afford to remain on the sidelines. additionally, there are many african countries that want to engage with us, that want to do business with us. bird kinas foro, angola have reached out to our country to engage more and this is an additional way for us to do that. additionally, let's look at the populations. africa has almost a billion individuals under the age of 30. the united states, only 100 million. the entire european union, 140

million. these young people represent a growing economic as well as potential allyship for the united states. and we all know that through social media, internet and internet commerce is the mechanism by which we are able to engage them. an undersea cable linking the american east coast to africa via the united states virgin islands would create both a critical national security asset and a digital commerce expressway, to strength america's global, political, economic and our military position. such undersea cable development would leverage the virgin islands' already existing telecommunications infrastructure which already connects the territory to south america and the mainland in the united states, and facilitate additional regional links. this enables the united states

to counter chinese influence in global telecommunications while leveraging our existing strategic assets. the u.s. virgin islands not only hosts established cable infrastructure, but maintains a national guard installation on st. croix with an adjacent military support airport. as ets that could directly support and secure these telecommunications operations. the virgin islands, the most southern point of the united states, sits at the crossroads of century-old transit routes and we now are a chance to transform this strategic location into a cornerstone of american telecommunications infrastructure. i really want to thank the energy and commerce committee for its unanimous support of this legislation through regular order. this bill passed the house in the 118th congress with bipartisan support and identical text. i thank my colleague, congressman fulcher, for his continued partnership to advance

america's telecommunications, as well as military and national security. i urge my colleagues to support this critical measure. congress must protect american security interests in the caribbean and strengthen our partnership across the atlantic with our african partners. yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. ms. plaskett: i reserve for the gentleman. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. mr. pallone: is the chairman prepared to close? mr. bilirakis: yes, i am. i have no further speakers. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: i yield myself such time as i may consume, mr. speaker. obviously from what you're hearing from our representative from the virgin islands, this is an important bill in terms of not only the virgin islands, of the strengthening our links and communications and economy with africa as with for all those reasons -- as well. for all those reasons i would

urge we support this bill and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: thank you, mr. speaker. i want to commend the gentlelady for offering this very important bill and in closing i'd encourage a yes vote on this particular bill and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 1737. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? mr. bilirakis: mr. speaker, i move that the house suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 2481. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 119. h.r. 2481. a bill to require online dating service providers to provide fraud ban notifications to

online data service members and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from florida, mr. bilirakis, and the gentleman from new jersey, mr. pallone, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from florida. mr. bilirakis: thank you mr. speaker. i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the record on this particular bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. bilirakis: thank you. mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. bilirakis: thank you mr. speaker. i rise today in support of h.r. 2481, the romance scam prevention act, led by representative valadao. this legislation would require online dating platt foreigns to notify -- platforms to notify users when they've interacted with someone who has been removed from the platform for fraudulent activity. online dating platforms have been around for over 30 years and they continue to grow in

popularity. while they can help people connect, their accessibility and digital format have also created new risks, unfortunately. the f.t.c., federal trade commission, reported that romance scams lost victims $1.3 billion in 2022. i have constituents that were victims, unfortunately. many of those affected were elderly individuals who lost their retirement savings. what a shame. by requiring a fraud ban notification, we can put a stop to these senseless scams and protect vulnerability consumers. i urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of h.r. 2481, and i reserve the balance of my time, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized.

mr. pallone: so, mr. speaker, i rise to speak in support of h.r. 2481, the romance scam prevention act. as more consumers report using online dating services, it's important that they are made aware of potential harms. this bill ensures that when an online dating service bans a user for fraud, it notifies all the other users who have been in contact with that banned person on the service. and this will help to reduce the number of people who fall victim to identified fraudsters looking to extort money from dating app users. this bill is an important first step in this bill is an important first step in addressing harm in the dating service area, but there's a lot more that needs to be done. they need to prosecute fraudsters and scammers and protect people from having their emotions exploited for gain.

we need a bipartisan f.t.c. to ensure rules like these are enforced for all americans. i urge my colleagues to support this bill and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: i yield as much time as he may consume to a very effective member of congress from the great state of california, mr. valadao. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. valadao: i rise to urge support for my bill, the romance scam prevention act. every year, millions of americans from all ages and backgrounds use dating apps to make connections. for many online dating made it easier to build relationships but there are countless stories of criminals using the sites for fraudulent activity. while it's sadly common to see people lie about their age and

occupation, scammers use the apps to emotionally or financially exploit unsuspecting users. americans lost over $1.1 billion in 2023 alone. with senior citizens being the most at-risk aiming group. there have been countless stories of people being conned out of their entire life savings, all because they believe they found love online. people who meet online often take their conversations to other communication platforms and may not know they're talking to someone who has been removed if the original dating app this. bill requires dating platforms to issue fraud ban notifications to users who have interacted with an account who has been removed for fraudulent activity. as criminals are becoming more sophisticated it's time to put safeguards in place to protect users from financial frahm i want to thank chairman guthrie and his staff at the committee on energy and commerce for their

work on this important bill as well as my co-leads representative brittany pettersen, tom swozzle and craig goldman. thank you,ened i yield back. mr. bilirakis: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: i have no additional speakers. mr. bilirakis: i have no additional speakers. mr. pallone: i will close by saying this is an important bill to avoid fraud. i'm concerned about fraud on these dater is vis apps. i commend mr. valadao for bringing this forward. and i urge everyone support the -- to support the bill. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman from florida. mr. bilirakis: in close, i urge a yes vote on this bill and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 2481. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no.

in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? mr. bilirakis: i move that the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1679. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 122, h.r. 1679, a bill to direct the secretary of commerce in coordination with the heads of other relevant federal departments undammingcis to conduct an interagency review of and report to congress on ways to increase the global competitiveness of the united states in attracting foreign direct investment. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule the gentleman from florida, mr. bilirakis, and the gentleman from new jersey, mr. pallone, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from florida. mr. bilirakis: i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their

remarks and insert extraneous materials in the record on this particular bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. bilirakis: thank you. i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. bilirakis: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in support of h.r. 1679, the global investments in american jobs act of 2025. this is led by my good friend, very effective member of congress, representative evans. this bill directs the secretary of commerce and the comptroller general to conduct a review and report on ways to increase and attract foreign direct investment or f.d.i., from trusted countries. the united states is currently a global lead for the deployment of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, aton mouse vehicle, blockchain and many more. to maintain that leadership we must continue to foster an environment that encourage ours

allies and trusts of global partners to invest here at home. by removing -- by showing that the u.s. is the premier destination for investment, innovation and manufacturing and deployment, the u.s. will cement itself as the global leader of the new age of technological advancements. so i urge my colleagues to join me in favor of this particular bill, h.r. 1679, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. pallone: i rise to speak in support of h.r. 1679, the global investments in american jobs act. this legislation will encourage foreign direct investment to support high quality american jobs. fund direct investment from -- foreign direct investment from nonadversarial nations can be

used to fund things necessary for our success and security including new jobs in the manufacturing sector. once the envy of the world our manufacturing base has faced steady headwinds for the last several decades. our nation's share of global informing activity declined from 28% in 2002 to just over 17% in 2020. investment in america's small and medium manufacturers is the bedrock of our industrial might, has also declined over the last 20 years by more than $200 billion. in that same two-decade period our domestic manufacturing base has shed more than four million jobs. it's time to reverse these trends by revitalizing our nation's manufacturing industry and bringing jobs back home. the work we did under the biden administration, passing the biden infrastructure law, inflation reduction act and the chips and science act is already helping to turn the tide. by i am concerned that action by the trump administration are

putting this great success at risk. attempts to claw back historic investments in our manufacturing sector, unstable and erratic tariff policies and mass elimination of trusted federal programs of partners put american businesses at a disadvantage. all of these action by the trump administration are detrimental to our ability to compete globally and i encourage my republican colleagues to stand up for american businesses, large and small, against the chaotic actions of this administration. now, foreign direct investment can be part of the solution to revitalize american manufacturing and job creation. over a third of all foreign direct investments are in domestic manufacturing, exceeding a toal of $120 billion a year. this bill will help ensure we keep that flow of investment strong and that such investments support quality, good-paying jobs right here at home. but it must be coupled with federal trade policies coming from the white house and this congress that encourage

stability in the marketplace, protect our relationships with close trading partners and lower costs for american families. so i want to commend representatives kelly and evans for their leadership on this issue. i urge my colleagues to support this legislation. and i reserve the balance of my time, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman, frew public servant from the state of colorado, mr. evans. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. evans: mr. speaker, today i rise in strong support of my bipartisan bill the global investment in american jobs act. this is a critical piece of legislation that will help bolster american competitiveness in the face of increasing economic aggression from the chinese communist party, all while helping to create jobs in my home state of colorado and across the nation. first and foremost i'd like to extend my gratitude to the gentlelady from illinois, representative kelly, for helping to introduce this bill

with me. i'm proud to work with her in a bipartisan fashion to advance this bill first through the energy and commerce committee and now on to the house floor. in colorado alone, there are more than 126,000 workers that are the direct result of foreign direct investment. of these workers, 31% work in manufacturing roles. these jobs, like other good, blue collar jobs in my district, provide stable, good-paying careers to constituents to help provide for their families. oftentimes these jobs are on takable to folks with a high school degree after a quick and affordable career technical education course my bill tasks the secretary of commerce with conducting an interagency review to help create a more favorable environment for foreign direct investment, ultimately boosting our economy and benefiting american workers. international companies are beginning to recognize what most of us have known for decades. the american worker is among the most talented in the world. whether it's energy, technology,

or chemicals, americans produce some of the highest quality products and the cleanest, most efficient and socially responsible ways possible. with the resurgence in america's manufacturing industry, global investors are now clamoring to pump money into emerging industries in the u.s. but congress needs to ensure that we as a nation are striking the right approach and courting international companies and facilities -- facilitating responsible investments. this legislation doesn't just help create good-paying jobs. it helps ensure that america remains competitive with the chinese communist party by retaining our technological advantage in research and development. international employers account for more than $80 billion in research and development. with bill congress can make a major step seeing in increase over the coming years. this isn't just something we should consider doing. it's necessary. in the face of increasingingly

unscrupulous tactics from the chinese communist party such as rampant international property theft, corporate espionage and environmentally reckless energy practices it's imperative for the united states to leverage every available tool to bolster american industry such as this bill. i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this global investment in american jobs act to maintain americans' competitive edge, invest in our domestic talent, bring more jobs home and drive innovation to usher in the exera of manufacturing dominance in the united states. thank you and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: i have no additional speakers. mr. bilirakis: i have no additional speakers. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: i yield myself such time as i may consume. i know that in my district, that foreign direct investment is important in creating jobs so i will certainly say that

nationally this is important piece of legislation. i urge my colleagues to support it and yield back the plans of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: thank you, mr. speaker. in closing, i encourage a yes vote on this particular bill. i yield back the plans of my time as well. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1679. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? mr. bilirakis: i urge that the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 2269. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 120, h.r. 2269. a bill to require certain products to be labeled with do

not flush labeling and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from florida, mr. bilirakis, and the gentleman from new jersey, mr. pallone, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from florida. mr. bilirakis: thank you, mr. speaker. i ask unanimous consent that all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the record on this particular bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. bilirakis: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. bilirakis: i rise in support of h.r. 2269, the wastewater infrastructure pollution prevention and environmental safety act, or the wippes act. led by representative mclean. the bipartisan bill, it's a bicameral legislation, and it mandates wet wipe manufacturers to label their products as nonflushable. in doing, it will provide

consumers with clearer guidance, thereby saving local water utilities millions of dollars a year from preventable sewer blockages. i appreciate representative mcclain, chairperson mcclain, her efforts to advance the wippes act, allock with senator markey -- mu lee, es ex- melee, excuse me. i urge my colleagues to pass this bill and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. pallone: i wish to speak on the h.r. 2269wipppes act. environmentalists across the country have expressed the need for manufacturers to clearly

label their wet wipe products so consumers know how to properly dispose of them. this bill ensures wipe manufacturers and other entities clearly and conspicuously label nonflushable wipes just that. by requiring these labels on the packages of all nonflushable wipes would help ensure our plumbing and wastewater treatment facilities do not break down as a result of these wipes. but the implementation and enforcement of this bill require as strong independent and bipartisan federal trade commission. house republicans have stood by in silence as this critical agency is being compromised by president trump's illegal attempts to remove the two democratic commissioners from their post, undermining the legitimacy and transparency of the f.t.c. i urge my republican colleagues to stand up for the two representatives, or i should say for the restoration of an independent f.t.c. to ensure this bill and many others tasked

with implementing and are enforced without fear or favor. we need a strong f.t.c. i commend my colleagues and urge them to support this bill and with that i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield as much time as she may consume to chairperson mcclain. yes, please. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. mcclain: thank you. i rise to urge support for my bill, the wastewater pollution prevention environmental safety act, better known as the wippes act and it addresses a costly and growing problem in our communities. every year michigan anders water spends over $18 million responding to clogs and damage caused by nonflushable wipes. these products when disposed of

incorrectly create massive blockages in our wastewater systems which leads to backup, environmental hazards, costly repairs, and ultimately higher rates for our constituents. the solution is simple, clear, honest labeling. this bill does not ban wipes or burden small businesses, it simply requires manufacturers to label packaging for wipes that aren't designed to be flushed. this legislation isn't just about preventing clogged pipes, it's about protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring our infrastructure can last for years to come. the wippes act passed the house last congress with overwhelming bipartisan support and i'm proud to lead this legislation alongside congressman kevin mullen. again, this congress, i call on the senate to take it up.

plumbing infrastructure and utility costs are not partisan issues but priorities we should all share. let's pass the wippes act and give our local public works departments utilities and consumers the tools they need to keep our system flowing and our communities safe. thank you, mr. speaker, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: i have no additional speakers. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: thank you. i urge support for this legislation. i do thinking from an environmental point of view and to protect our waste treatment facilities this is important legislation and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: in closing i encourage a yes vote on this particular bill and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 2269?

those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? mr. bilirakis: mr. speaker, i move the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1767. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 124, h.r. 1767, a bill to require the consumer products safety commission to promulgate a mandatory consumer product safety standard with respect to retractable awningses. the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to the rule, the gentleman from florida, mr. bilirakis and the gentleman from new jersey, mr. pallone, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from florida. mr. bilirakis: i ask unanimous consent all members have five

legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the record on this particular bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. bilirakis: thank you. i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. bilirakis: mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 1767, the awning safety act of 2025 led by my friend representative balderson. this legislation directs the consumer product safety commission to establish a consumer product safety standard for retractable awnings to help prevent serious injuries and death. motorized awnings pose a known hazard to the public so the cpsc issued a recall covering 270,000 units following reports of injuries and one tragic death, unfortunately. these preventible incidents occur when the tie-downs on the

awning unexpectedly releases, causing the awning to strike the consumer. coming from the state of florida, i know how important this is, and i know how popular awnings are, but they have to be safe for our consumers. consumers should not have to fear that their awning might suddenly spring open and cause harm. and this bill will will make sure they won't have that problem. i urge my colleagues to support this particular bill. i commend the primary sponsor, my good friend, mr. balderson, from the great state of ohio. h.r. 1767 should be passed by this body and sent over to the senate. and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. pallone: i rise to speak in support of h.r. 1767, the awning

safety act. in 2019, the consumer products safety commission issued a recall of 270,000 motorized awnings sold in the united states that has caused six injuries and tragically, one death. i commend the cpsc for taking action to ensure that awnings products are safe regardless of brand or manufacture. american families should be able to enjoy the shade without fear of injury or death from the awnings they use. the awning safety act would require the cpsc to create a safety standard for fixed and freestanding retractable awnings. while the cpsc has taken individual action on recalls, there is no voluntary standard to these awnings and injuries continue to mount. in 1993, the father of a former republican member staffer, and i

believe she's in the gallery today with her mother, and dr. n att was killed in an accident regarding a retractable awnings. we must make sure other families don't suffer a tragedy because of problems with retractable awnings. the compliance of this bill depends on a strong and independent cpsc to protect americans from unsafe products. at the same time as my republican colleagues praise this bill, they continue to remain silent on president trump's willingness to risk the safety of american children and families by attempting to unlawfully unseat commissioners. i'm glad the law was upheld and reinstated the commissioners and the trump administration is fighting the ruling. i remain deeply concerned about this administration's attempts

to eradicate the cpsc and other organizations like the cpsc. i strongly oppose the trump administration's ongoing plans to pull the cpsc's mission into the department of health and human services with a smaller budget, pure expert staff, and a narrower mission. american consumers deserve to have peace of mind the products we bring into their homes are safe. i commend representatives castor and balderson for their work and leadership on this issue and urge my colleagues to support h.r. 1767, the awning safety act. and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: yards. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: i yield as much time as he may consume to my good friend, mr. balderson. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. balderson: thank you, chairman bilirakis. i rise in support of my bill, the awning safety act, which aims to enhance the safety of awnings commonly found in ohio

homes and in households across the nation. a retractable awning can serve as a valuable source of trade and a gathering spot for families and friends. however, they can pose a significant risk to consumers. this legislation directs the consumer products safety commission to establish safety standards for fixed and freestanding awnings typically installed in homes. my energy colleagues learned of the serious risks surrounding awnings when it tragically struck the family of olivia shields, a staff member for the committee at the time. as mr. pallone said, her family is in the gallery today. her father was carrying out a routine household task of taking down the retractable awning from the family home in ohio. he was on the ladder when the spring-loaded arm of the awning unexpectedly shot out at him, forcing his ladder to tip and causing him to fall. michael suffered a severe spinal

cord injury and despite efforts to save him, he tragically passed away a few days later. his passing affected his family profoundly and reverberated throughout the community he touched. michael was renowned for his kindness, generosity -- i apologize. wrong pipe. michael was renowned for his kindness, generosity and selflessness, often going above and beyond what others needed. he was a family man and cherished husband to his wife and his family. michael ultimately -- michael's ultimate death underscores the importance of ensuring the safety of household products like awnings and by passing this legislation today, we can prevent further tragedies.

thank you, mr. speaker, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: i have no additional speakers. mr. bilirakis: i have no additional speakers. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: obviously this is a important bill from the consumer safety point of view. i would urge my colleagues to support it and yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: i'm proud to support this particular piece of legislation in memory of dr. michael natt, a cherished part of the energy and commerce family who tragically lost his life as was ably said in an awning accident. i want to thank his family for joining us here today. so let's pass this good bill in his memory and i'll yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1767. those in favor say aye.

those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? mr. bilirakis: thank you, mr. speaker. i move the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1664 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 1664, a bill to direct the secretary of commerce to take actions necessary and appropriate to promote the competitiveness of the united states related to the deployment, use, application, and competitiveness of block chain technology or other distributed ledger technology and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to the rule, the gentleman from florida, mr. bilirakis, and the gentleman from new jersey, mr. pallone, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from florida. mr. bilirakis: thank you, mr. speaker. i ask that all members have five

legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous materials on the record on this particular bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. bilirakis: mr. speaker, thank you. i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. bilirakis: thank you. i rise in support of h.r. 1664, the deploying american blockchains act of 2025, championed by my good friend and fellow florida gator, representative cammack. it directs the secretary of commerce to take necessary actions to promote the competitiveness of the united states in the development and application of block chain technology has the potential to enhance security, transparency and efficiency, whether it's used as a privacy enhasment technology, supply chain management tool or a method to supply a secure ledger to enhance data security.

blockchains can issue a new era in american tech tholing call leadership. by fostering leadership, this bill positions the united states as a leader in blockchains technology and driving economic growth and technological advancement. i urge my colleagues me to passing this very good bill, primary sponsored by mrs. cammack from the state of florida. h.r. 1664. i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. pallone: mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 1664 deploying american blockchains act. for decades our nation's technological leadership has helped the largest economy in the world but must ensure to

outcompete the rest of the world or else our economic rivals are trying to close the gap. this commissions the department ofcommerce to support the leadership of the united states with respect to block chains technology which may have useful for monitoring and data security. investments that strengthens the ability of the american industry to realize the benefits of new technology are essential to our global competitiveness. the chaos of the trump administration is undermining u.s. leadership in technology development and deployment. if my republican colleagues are desireous to win the race, they will speak up rather than standing by while the trump administration cuts federal reserve programs and engages in mass firings of crucial experts and engages in wild swings and

national trade policy from week to week. house democrats have shown our commitment. the chips and science act makes investments in research and development, science and technology and work force of the future. it will help maintain the leadership of the industries of tomorrow, clean energy, quantum computing and artificial intelligence. the chips and science act is making a huge difference, but we must build on the success. one other thing to note this bill should already be law. it was agreed to last year as part of a bipartisan, bicameral legislative package that was set to be passed and signed into law before elon musk killed the agreement. that package included important provisions that would have included provisions for americans but instead of sending it to the president's desk, my republican colleagues caved to

outside pressure from elon murveg. i commend representative cammack and soto. this is an important bill and i edger r urge my colleagues to support this legislation and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the chair will reserve a message. the secretary: i have been directed by the senate that the senate has passed h.r. 22125 an act to the national as the salem national historical park and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: i yield as much time to one of the most hard working members of congress, mrs. cammack. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. cammack: thank you, mr. speaker and mr. chairman and to the ranking member for his support. i rise in support of h.r. 1664, the deploying american block

chains act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that i am proud to lead along side representative soto. this bill is about far more than emerging technology. it's about securing america's future, economically, strategically and technologically in an increasing digital world. this is not a passing trend but a foundational innovation that is reshaping about how we think about security, data integrity and commerce. blockchains is transforming the way our systems function. mr. speaker, we are at a cross roads. while american entrepreneurs are ready to lead, they are operating in an environment filled with uncertainty. they face unclear rules inconsistent federal policies and outdid ited frameworks that push investments and opportunities overseas.

china are investing in blockchains infrastructure and making it clear that their intent to control the digital rails of the future. we cannot afford to fall behind. american values must guide the development of the next generation of digit call infrastructure. that is what this bill ensures. this takes a strategic approach by directing the commerce department to lead a federal government block chains government. it will establish a program and ensure that the united states remains competitive in the development and application of this critical technology. importantly, it affirms that blockchains is not just a buzz word but the backbone of next generation of innovation like supply chain security, smart contracts, digital identity and fraud application. these aren't just theoretical but being deployed right now across sectors of the entire

american economy. if we fail to lead, others will step in to define the rules of the road. it sends a message to our allies and adversaries, america intends to lead, we will lead and we will build not just consume and intend to have trust and transparency and will not allow authoritarian regimes in our absence. this bill is about leadership and economic opportunity and about protecting our american interests ensuring that we continue to serve the people, our values and our future. i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this commonsense legislation. together we can keep america at the forefront of innovation and ensure that our digital future is dwiepped by liberty, accountability and american leadership. i yield back. mr. bilirakis: i reserve.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: i have no additional speakers. i urge support on this bill and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman from florida. mr. bilirakis: i encourage a yes vote on this particular bill and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1664 as amended. those in favor, say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? mr. bilirakis: i move that the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1520. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number # 126, h.r. 1520 a bill to prohibit discrimination on the

basis of physical or mental disability in cases of organ transplant. pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from florida, mr. bilirakis and the gentleman from new jersey, mr. pallone, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentleman from florida. mr. bilirakis: i ask unanimous consent that members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on this bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection mr. bilirakis: i yield myself such time as i may consume. i rise in strong support of h.r. 1520, the charlotte woodward organ transplant discrimination prevention act led by my good friend, mrs. cammack. this legislation prohibits health care providers and other entities from denying individuals access to organ transplants based solely on the basis of an individual's

disability. according to the national council on disability, such denials are based on assumption regarding the patient's quality of life and misinterpretation surrounding the ability of these individuals to comply with post operative care. federal law prohibits transplant centers from discriminating on the basis of disability, there is limited enforcement and lack of federal guidance to he ensure patients are protected. nobody should be denied just because they have a disability. h.r. 1520 clarifies that individuals with disabilities shall not be denied an organ transplant or related services based on the individual's disability and includes an expedited review and enforcement members of the committee niche through the department ofhealth and human services office of civil rights.

this is a must pass bill. and we must protect individuals. our constituents. in some cases, family members with disabilities. they should not be discriminated against. i ask my colleagues to vote in favor of h.r. 1520 and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized mr. pallone: i rise in support of h.r. 1520 the charlotte woodward organ transplant discrimination prevention act. this bill prohibits people who are eligible for an organ transplant being denied based solely on disability status. the americans with disability act, rehabilitation act and affordable care act already prohibit organ transplant

centers discriminating based solely on disability. there are cases where people have been denied access to organ transplants because of misperceptions because of how a disability impacts the transplant's success or unfound assumptions regarding people with people with disabilities to comply with post operative care. this bill prohibits ep tits that an individual is ineligible to receive a transplant based solely on the fact that the individual has a disability. the legislation acknowledges the importance of support networks and organ transplants save lives and it's important that the system is free from discrimination. we are taking this step to build upon existing civil rights protections for people with disabilities. however i am concerned that

ongoing cuts at the department ofhealth and human services will limit the effectiveness of this bill. this instructs the office of civil rights to enforce enforcement protections included in the bill. the trump administration is proposing not only to he limb nature the office of civil rights but has fired some of the office's staff. the final number of staff who will be eliminated is unclear because the department has refused to be transparent with congress as to the number of employees terminated. the office is understaffed and underfunded-f my republican colleagues truly care about the proper implementation of this bill they will join me in conducting oversight of trump's cuts. so i would like to thank representative dingell and representative cammack for their work on this bill. it is important and i encourage my colleagues to vote yes and i

reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized. p mr. bilirakis: i reeled as much time as she may consume to representative cammack. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. cammack: thank you mr. speaker, and mr. chairman. i rise today in strong support of h.r. 1520, the charlotte woodward organ transplant discrimination prevention act. this legislation is deeply personal for many families across the united states. families who have experienced unimaginable pain and loss simply because their loved ones had a disability. one of those families is from my district in ocala, florida, bobby and josh, their infant son was born with down syndrome and in immediate of a heart transplant. at six months old, zion was denied that chance. the doctors told the parents

that his life, baby zion's life wasn't worth the heart and couldn't be quote wasted on a child with a disability. that is not just wrong but inhumane and should never ever happen again. this bill that we consider here today is named after charlotte woodward, a remarkable woman with down syndrome who herself received a life saving heart transplant over a decade ago. her story is a link breathing testament to the truth we must affirm here today that every life, regardless of disability, has value potential. . . . . i am pleased charlotte is with us in the gallery and i want to recognize you, charlotte, and thank you for all that you do.

h.r. 1520 ensures that individuals with disabilities are not discriminated against organ transplant eligibility and gives families a mechanism for timely intervention, oftentimes time that families don't have through the department of health and human services when medical decisions are clouded by biased rather than compassion and science. i am proud to work again with my colleague and friend, congresswoman debby dingell, in advancing this bipartisan effort. this bill passed overwhelmingly in the last congress and i'm confident this body will once again do what is right. i urge my colleagues to support this bill and fight for life. i yield back the balance of my time. thank you, mr. speaker. the speaker pro tempore: the chair reminds members that the rules do not allow references to persons in the gallery. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves.

the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: mr. speaker, i yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from michigan, mrs. dingell, a member of our committee. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mrs. dingell: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise to share my strong support for h.r. 1520, the charlotte woodward organ transplant discrimination act. as co-chair of the bipartisan disabilities caucus, i'm proud to co-lead the charlotte woodward organ transplant discrimination prevention act alongside my colleague, representative cammack. i thank her for her partnership on this incredible bill named after the incredible young woman you just met. i came out here looking for her because she's all -- i said to frank years ago, frank, she'll be in the committee. she is the living energy of somebody who knew that something had to be done and charlotte is

just always there. and her energy is going to get this issue righted. she's been the bill's biggest supporter sitting time and time again going to meetings and telling her story and her tremendous work. for those who don't know her story, it's been mentioned, charlotte was born with down syndrome and a heart condition. due to this heart condition, she underwent -- successfully underwent a life-saving heart transplant in 2012. in the years since, she's become the advocate we all know, sharing her story to educate and advocate for others with disabilities. in her honor, this important bill prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities within the organ transplant system. specifically, it prohibits eligible individuals from being denied a life lifesaving

transplant procedure based solely on their disability status. it is unthinkable that people with disabilities are passed over for life-saving transplants based on discriminatory and subjective assumptions about their ability to comply with post-operative care. with this legislation, we can take action and ensure that all americans regardless of their disability status receive equitable access to the care they need. i thank the energy and commerce chair guthrie and ranking member pallone for fighting with us for this important piece of legislation. and again, i want to thank representative cammack for being such a great bipartisan partner. i urge all of my colleagues to support this important bill. thank you, mr. speaker. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: i reserve.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: thank you. i yield as much time as he may consume to the chairman of the house committee under energy and commerce, mr. carter. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. carter: i thank the gentleman for yielding. mr. speaker, i rise today in strong support of the charlotte woodward organ transplant discrimination prevention act which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in the organ transplant system. this bill prohibits entities from determining an individual is ineligible to receive a transplant or denying a transplant based solely on the fact the individual has a disability. the bill is named after charlotte woodward, an advocate with down syndrome who received a life-saving heart transplant a decade ago. since then, she's advocated tirelessly to ensure that others living with down syndrome and other disabilities have the same access to life-saving care that

she did. unfortunately, there's been too many instances in which individuals with disabilities have been denied a life-saving organ transplant. and this is unacceptable. congress has the opportunity to help ensure individuals with disabilities are treated fairly within the organ transplant system. no one, mr. speaker, no one should be denied access to an organ transplant just because they have a disability. that's why i'm proud to support this bill which will make sure that all americans, no matter their disability status, will be able to receive the access to care they need and deserve. i'd like to thank my good friends, representatives cammack and dingell for their leadership on this important issue. and i urge my colleagues to support this legislation. thank you, mr. speaker. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is

recognized. mr. pallone: i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. pallone: mr. speaker, while i support this underlying legislation, and it is important legislation, i have to say it is disappointing to see my republican colleagues are proceeding with this bill without a c.b.o. score. they're violating their own protocol which requires a c.b.o. score before bringing a bill to the floor. over the past three years, there have been countless times that democratic bills have been denied for consideration because they included an increased authorization line which is against the majority leader's floor protocol. it's not consistent for republicans to allow a bill to the floor that could have a mandatory score. it's the republican's responsibility to seek a score to allow a bill to move but the republicans are using the rules

as they please. i urge my republican colleagues to follow their own rules. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: i'm prepared to close. mr. speaker, there's no cost, there's no cost on this particular bill and it's necessary. and the bottom line is, folks, we cannot -- who wants to -- you cannot put a price or a value on life. as a matter of fact, no one should determine a person's quality of life as far as i'm concerned. this bill -- god bless charlotte for advocating on behalf of this bill and of course my good friends ms. cammack and mrs. dingell. we've got to get this done. time is of the essence, mr. speaker. it's a responsible thing to do. and i'll yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields.

the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: thank you, mr. speaker. let me associate myself with the remarks the chairman made. this is an important bill and i urge all my colleagues to support it and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1520. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentleman from florida seek recognition? mr. bilirakis: mr. speaker, i move the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1082. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 127, h.r. 1082, a bill to require the secretary of health and human services to conduct a national evidence-based education campaign to increase public and health care provider

awareness regarding the benefits of human cell and tissue product transplants and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to the rule, the gentleman from florida, mr. bilirakis, and the gentleman from new jersey, mr. pallone, each will be recognized for 20 minutes. the chair is recognized from florida. mr. bilirakis: i ask that all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous materials on the bill in the record. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mr. bilirakis: thanks. i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. bilirakis: thank you. i appreciate it. i rise in strong support of h.r. 1082, the shandra eisenga human cell and tissue product safety act led by my good friend, chairman moolenaar from the great state of michigan. this bill was born out of the heartbreaking tragedy that we hope will never be repeated

again. in 2023 in michigan, a constituent died of tuberculosis caused by contaminated bone grafts. this bill would require the h.h.s. secretary to conduct a national educational campaign to increase public and health care provider awareness regarding the benefits of human cell and tissue transplants. it would also require f.d.a. to streamline the regulatory oversight of these particular products included by publishing educational materials and best practices and by conducting workshops and public stakeholder sessions. ultimately, h.r. 1082 will increase public awareness, patient safety, and public trust and these life-saving medical products to help ensure preventible tragedies like the death, unfortunately, of

ms. eisenga did not ever occur again. this bill passed the house unanimously last december, and i look forward to its timely passage. once again, let's get it to the senate and pass this very critical bill, h.r. 1082. and i'll reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. pallone: mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 1082, the shandra eisenga human cell and tissue product safety act sponsored by mrs. dingell and mr. moolenaar. stem cell products have shown tremendous promise for delivering treatments to patients such as bone marrow transplants for certain cancer patients and therapies for patients with blood and immune system disorders. and yet there are rogue clinics

that take advantage of patients seeking cures. there's reports of some clinics peddling exaggerated claims. exposure to these unproven treatments have put vulnerable patients' health at risk leading to serious adverse events, including blindness, bloodstream infections, paralysis, and tumor growth. there are few meaningful repercussions in the human cell and tissue products industry. this bill would change that by providing the food and drug administration with additional enforcement tools to more quickly and effectively protect the public. it provides a balanced approach to improving safety of human cell tissue and cellular and tissue-based products. first, it provides clarity regarding f.d.a. scientific and regulatory efforts to oversee these products. second, it also enables more effective enforcement against an establishment that does not meet their donor eligibility obligations or current good

tissue practice obligations. this would also encourage responsible manufacturers to continue to develop and license products where the scientific evidence supports the product's safety, purity, and potency. i support this bill, mr. speaker, but i continue to have concerns regarding the chaos that h.h.s. broadly and f.d.a. specifically. while the bill provides the f.d.a. with particular enforcement tools, the trump administration has made massive cuts to funding and staffing at f.d.a. the president's budget doubles down on this chaos by proposing a 11% cut to the f.d.a. budget and proposes eliminating 2,000 jobs. this hinders the f.d.a.'s ability to actually protect the public. and again, i call on my republican colleagues to join me in conducting proper oversight of the trump administration's actions. otherwise, bipartisan efforts like this one will be rendered meaningless. and if we're giving the agency

new statutory tools and enforcement authority because they think there's a risk to the public, then the agency must be prepared to carry out those duties. so i encourage all my colleagues to vote yes on this important bill, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: thank you, mr. speaker. i yield as much times make consume to my good friend, the chairman of the select committee on china. i'm very proud to serve under his leadership. mr. moolenaar from the great state of michigan, i yield him as much time mr. moolenaar: i want to thank the gentleman from florida, mr. bilirakis, for yielding, for his strong support on this legislation. i want to thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, mr. pallone and especially my friend and fellow michigan gander, debbie dingell. mr. speaker, i rise in support

of this bipartisan legislation, h.r. 1082 shandra eisenga human cell and tissue product safety act. patients across 7 states contracted t.b. after receiving bone grafts after receiving infected donor material. one of those patients was one of my swibts who passed away on august 10, 2023 due to complications due to t.b. i was proud to have shandra here last year. this family has been forever hurt by the loss of shandra. her daughter amber said nothing can erase the heartbreak of my mother's passing but she would be proud that we made a possible difference in her name. we are taking concrete action to prevent families from having the same experience as amber and

honor her mother's legacy. her passing was completely preventable, so were the deaths of nine other patients because of inadequate oversight of tissue material suppliers. when it comes to tissue donations, the f.d.a. requires screening for diseases. this bipartisan bill will require screening for t.b. as well and put an end to preventable t.b. deaths like shandra and will require h.h.s. to require campaigns on the risks of surgery requiring a tissue donation. i urge my colleagues to support this vital bipartisan legislation in honor of shandra and her family. i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida is recognized. mr. bilirakis: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey. mr. pallone: i yield to the the

gentlewoman from from michigan, mrs. dingell, for such sim as she may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized mrs. dingell: i rise today to share my strong support of h.r. 1082 the shandra eisenga human cell and tissue product safety act and i am proud to lead this bill with my good friend and colleague from michigan, representative moolenar, both of husband who have been personally involved with the family and learning of where there are serious deficiencies within our government. in the summer of 2023, i was contacted by the medical director of the t.b. clinic and head of public health who was treating shandra for a severe post surgical t.b. infection. she was representative mool moolenar's constituent and after

battling a severe t.b. infection in the intensive care unit, shandra died. since her passing, it has been discovered her death was related to contaminated of bone graft material and this is linked to the deaths of two patients. it had been preceded two years before by an outbreak again linked to contaminated bone grafts and resulted in multiple deaths. the outbreak infected 113 patients across 18 states and confirmed with t.b. deaths. this has to stop. and too many people get bone grafts and have no idea

including the doctor that did one on me that they needed to worry about this. this bill needs to conduct research and education campaigns to prevent t.b. outbreaks caused by contaminated human cell and tissue product donations. we have included an important provision to allow the federal government to pursue civil penalties from providers who cause an outbreak of the infectious disease. patients deserve to know the risks associated with tissue donation and companies that make and distribute contaminated products who must be held accountable for their actions. i thank the energy and commerce committee, mr. bilirakis and ranking member pallone for fighting for this important piece of legislation. again, i thank representative

moolenar who is a great bipartisan partner. we owe it to shandra, her family and every other patient who has been impacted, infected by contaminated bone grafts to prevent these unnecessary tragedies from ever happening again. i urge my colleagues to vote yes on this important bill. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey is recognized. mr. pallone: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from florida. mr. bilirakis: i am prepared to close. i have no additional speakers. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new jersey. mr. pallone: i urge support for this legislation on a bipartisan basis and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentleman from florida. mr. bilirakis: i encourage a yes vote on this particular piece of legislation and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1082.

those in favor, say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table.

the speaker pro tempore: for what purpose does the gentlewoman from missouri seek recognition? mrs. wagner: i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 910 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 910, a bill to

require the secretary of the treasury to pursue more equitable treatment of taiwan at the international financial institutions and for other purposes pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from missouri, mrs. wagner and the gentleman from california, mr. sherman, each will control 20 minutes. mrs. wagner: i ask unanimous consent that members may include extraneous material on this bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i yield hice such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. wagner: i rise in support of h.r. 910, the taiwan nondiscrimination act of 2025. i would like to say thank you to representative kim for her important work on this legislation. following the house's passage of this bill last congress, taiwan announced that it would seek

membership from the international monetary fund or i.m.f. this is a direct result of the gentlelady's leadership on the issue and i want to applaud her for her dedication and her efforts. taiwan boasts a resilient and innovation-driven economy, powered by its high-tech industries, robust financial institutions and dynamic export sector. the island plays a significant role in global supply chains particularly in the semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors. yet, despite its economic strength and proven track record of responsible financial governance, taiwan continues to be marginalized and held to a second-class standard by the i.m.f. make no mistake, taiwan is eligible to join the i.m.f. and u.s. policy has long supported taiwan's membership in international organizations

whenever possible. excluding taiwan undermines the legitimacy and effectiveness of the i.m.s. as a truly global institution in an increasingly complex world economy. i.m.f.'s core mission involved advising governments on economic reform. what better society can the i.m.f. point to when driving home the importance of good policy. taiwan's per capta g.d.p. has grown 35 times larger since the end of the chinese civil war. the island has crucial insights to offer and institutions that seeks to put its borrowers on stable footing. it is long overdue for taiwan to receive the recognition and representation it rightfully deserves at the i.m.f. i urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting h.r. 910 and i

reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. sherman: i yield myself such time as i may consume. i rise in support h.r. 910, the taiwan nondiscrimination act of 2025 sponsored by representative kim of california and co-sponsored of representative green of texas. it requires the united states to advocate for taiwan's membership and participation in the i.m.f. taiwan is seeking to join the i.m.f. and i believe we should support this effort. the i.m.f. was formed in 1944 to encourage stability. they offer technical assistance to an international reserve to provide liquidity among other services it provides to member states. it is an essential institution for security and cooperation on global economic matters. taiwan has a big impact in the

world. vibrant culture, delicious food and highly educated population. taiwan is an essential economic and trade partner of the united states and so many other countries around the world. according to the world trade organization, it was the 16th largest exporter and 223rd largest importer in 2023. those exports especially for information and communications technology products make taiwan a critical partner to the united states and to our city and workers. thus, it seems obvious that such % economy should not be excluded for engagement in one of our most important financial institutions. as h.r. 9 # 10 requires the u.s. to be an advocate that the i.m.f. admit taiwan as a member to allow the support to

officials and support employment opportunities at the i.m.f. for taiwan nationals. given its contributions, taiwan shouldn't be locked out of membership. not only will it benefit taiwan but america and the entire world economy. it should be noted, however, that while this legislation will assist taiwan, some republicans are ignoring what the administration is doing that will hurt our economy and that of taiwan. in february, 2025, and one of his first actions of the administration, he sought to withdraw the united states and calling for recommendations on exiting the united states from its membership in certain other organizations including the i.m.f. clearly our ability to advocate for taiwan at the i.m.f. to carry out the purposes of this bill is undermined by the fact that president trump is

withdrawing us from the i.m.f. the president has no authority to withdraw the united states from financial institutions, that review which is due in august has not been completed. while the i.m.f. funding was included in the recent budget proposal, comments from the secretary of treasury confirmed that trump has not decided whether he tries to use what powers he has to withdraw us from the i.m.f. trump has refused to enact the policy that the united states has been in place standing with the people and security of taiwan. when asked if the u.s. will maintain its decades' old commitment to taiwan he has avoided the easy answer declaring that he won't provide a direct response. we should pass this bill, but we should urge our president to not

undermine taiwan and not undermine the world economy by talking about withdrawing the united states from the i.m.f. i urge my colleagues to support this bill and i reserve. . . . . >> i'm pleased to yield as much time as she may consume to the congresswoman mrs. kim. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. kim: i thank mrs. wagner for this. i want to thank you for making this a bipartisan effort. mr. speaker, i rise in strong support of my bill, h.r. 910, the taiwan nondiscrimination act. this bill is simple. it requires the treasury department to advocate for taiwan to join the international monetary fund, or i.m.f.

unfortunately, china has consistently blocked taiwan's participation in international forums, including i.i.f. china pursues these tactics because they know that financial security is just as important as military security. defense experts have identified that china could exploit taiwan's financial system by raising tariffs, short selling stocks, and freezing bank transfers. joining the i.m.f. would allow taiwan to acquire assets and stop the chinese coercion. it's been our long-standing policy to support this membership in national organizations where statehood is not a prerequisite. we must continue to advocate for

china's -- the voices to be heard. this has lasted decades across the democratic and republican administrations and repeatedly has been reaffirmed in bills passed by this congress. so mr. speaker, advocating for taiwan's membership in the i.m.f. would also unlock access to other international financial institutions. the world bank, for instance, requires members to first be a part of the i.m.f. so i urge my colleagues to vote in favor of h.r. 910 and send the taiwanese people a strong message of solidarity and support for their democracy. i yield the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the gentleman from missouri. mrs. wagner: i'm prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california. mr. broun: i have no further

speakers and am prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. >> h.r. 910 is a bipartisan bill that requires the united states to use its voice and vote at the i.m.f. to support taiwan's membership. mr. sherman: taiwan has been an excellent contributor to the global economy and should not be absent from the organizations such as i.m.f. congress should support this bill and i urge my republican colleagues to not only urge that donald trump carry this bill out, but also support the people of taiwan and support the role of the i.m.f. as we go forward. i again recommend to my colleagues that you support this bill and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california yields back. the gentlewoman from missouri is recognized. mrs. wagner: i recognize myself for as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. wagner: it's long overdue

taiwan seens the recognition it deserves at the i.m.f. i urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting h.r. 910 and i yield back my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 910 as amended? those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, and the bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from missouri seek recognition? mrs. wagner: i ask to speak on h.a.1713. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: a bill to include the secretary of agriculture as a member of the committee on foreign investment in the united states and for other purposes.

the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to the rule, the gentlewoman from missouri, mrs. wagner, and the gentleman from california, mr. sherman, each will control 20 minutes. the chair now recognizes the gentlewoman from missouri. mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 1713, the agriculture risk review act of 2025. i would like to start by saying thank you to representative lucas for his long-standing leadership on this important legislation. today the united states confronts a special issue at the hands of national security and agriculture, and foreign

investment in farmland. the investment of land in the united states safeguards our country by reviewing foreign acquisitions that could pose risks to our national security. ensureing that the organization has the authority to conduct these transactions is more important than ever. for the first time since 2007, h.r. 1713 would give the secretary of agriculture an official role in reviewing agricultural transactions for national security risks. cfius has long acquisitions of agricultural businesses including farmland involved in interstate commerce. since 2018, it has also been authorized to perform reviews of land purchases near sensitive government sites.

however, there is a need to connect the agriculture department's expertise, including its long-standing tracking of farmland purchases with cfius' operations. cfius could greatly benefit from the secretary's expertise, and that is what congressman lucas' legislation allows. as one of the first members of congress to recognize this need at cfius, i want to applaud representative lucas for his foresight and dedication in advancing this legislation. i look forward to supporting his bill today and urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting h.r. 713. and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. sherman: i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sherman: i rise in support of h.r. 1713, the agricultural risk review act of 2025

sponsored by representative lucas. h.r. 1713 aims to add the secretary of agriculture as a member of the committee on foreign investment in the united states, also known as cfius, when there is an all-star related issue. recognizing the importance of safe food and of national security involving agriculture, h.r. 1713 requires cfius to determine whether there is a national security review is necessary upon notification of the secretary of agriculture that agriculture land transaction could somehow affect national security. i do not want to add my voice to what i regard as alarmist voices talking about oh, my god, foreign interests, maybe even china, will buy american land. keep in mind that we need investment in the united states. when the chinese buy a high-tech

company, they can take that -- the technology that is acquired back to china. when they buy farmland, they can't take the farmland back to china and can't take the food back to china unless we let them and the president can step in in any national emergency and stop that. there is discussion the chinese will buy a farm a couple miles away from the main entrance to a military base, but of course they could also park a car next to the military base. there can be an air bnb next to the military base. they can rent a farm. i don't think the purchase of farmland poses the risks that are being overblown. i don't think china can ship our topsoil back to china, nor do i think that china can deprive americans of the ability to eat american food.

h.r. 1713 addresses the concerns people do have by providing a path for the secretary of agriculture to notify cfius when those transactions in the opinion of the secretary of agriculture do pose a threat or at least a concern. this bill is identical to what congress passed in 2024 but that was in an appropriations bill, passing it again will make sure we make this a part of a permanent statute. but when we focus on the security of our agriculture, we should also note that arbitrary cuts are being made that will affect directly the poorest families in our country. particularly cutbacks to the snap program that provides safe nutrition to families that might otherwise go hungry. and we also noticed that the doge effort of elon musk, who apparently, fortunately, has retained most of his attention to his private businesses, not

only illegally cut millions of dollars from u.s. department of agriculture activities, but would deprive the department of agriculture with the expertise necessary to carry out this bill, and of course deprives the usda of the staff it needs to prevent the spread of food-borne disease. finally, i think the withdrawal of the u.s. from the world health organization, and illegally ending food programs exposes the entire world and ultimately the united states to substantial risks. remember when somebody suffers from a disease abroad, that gives a chance for the disease to replicate, mutate, and

immigrate to the united states. i feel that h.r. 1317 improves cfius and urge my republican colleagues also to work to protect snap, to protect the usda, and to protect our efforts at global health. i urge my colleagues to support this bill. and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california reserves. the gentlewoman from missouri is recognized. mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i'm pleased to yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from oklahoma, mr. lucas. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from oklahoma is recognized for as much time as he may consume. mr. lucas: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in support of my bill, h.r. 1713, the agricultural risk review act. my bill would make permanent the existing pollen acted under the consolidated appropriations act for fiscal year 2024 and bolster our food security against foreign adversaries. h.r. 1713 would admit -- amend the defense production act to allow the secretary of

agriculture be a permanent member of the foreign investment in the united states or cfius, to any transactions related to the purchase of farmland, biotechnology, or any transaction related to the agricultural industry. my bill also includes the safeguarding americas farms from the foreign influence act authored last congress by the former chairman of the financial services subcommittee on national security, mr. luke meyer. that section allows cfius to consider referrals from the usda for affordable land transactions prior to the agency process to review whether the transaction is warranted. these bills received unanimous support when considered separately and then when joined together were also reported favorably to the floor in a unanimous vote. these are common sense measures in line with existing practices and current law.

the cfius mandate is to review transactions involving foreign investments in the united states, to ensure such transactions do not threaten our national security. agriculture is too important to our country's security to be left out. our geopolitical adversaries are eager to exploit vulnerabilities in critical supply chains such as our food supply. the inclusion of the secretary of ag in reviews of a-related transaction is just plain common sense. my bill has been bipartisan my bill has been bipartisan. former secretary perdue under the first trump transportation and former ag secretary vilsack agreed having a permanent seat at the table is vital to the protection of our farmland and food supply. i am pleased to boast bipartisan leadership from the house financial services committee.

this bill passed unanimously out of two congresses now and past time to become law, from hawaii and washington, to new york and florida, to my home state of oklahoma oak, our nation's agricultural land must be protected. that's why a bipartisan group of members from over 20 states across the country have supported me in this effort. i am grateful we have included this language in our annual appropriations process, but we must cement this requirement in permanent law. this legislation recognizes and supports the long held understanding that food spline is a critical component of u.s. national security. i urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the bill. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time the gentlewoman from missouri. mrs. wagner: i am prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. sherman: mr. speaker, i have

no further speakers and am prepared to close if the gentlelady from missouri has no further speakers. i yield myself the balance of my time. this bill, h.r. 1713 encourages more permanent coordinated communications between those who focus on agriculture and our national security experts at cfius. i commend the gentleman from oklahoma for his work on the committee on so many different issues. i would urge my republican colleagues not only to support this bill but the activities of the department ofagriculture, including snap and food spptions -- inspections and other efforts designed to make sure that our food supply is safe, available and secure. i urge my colleagues to support this bill and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california yields back. the gentlewoman from missouri.

mrs. wagner: in closing, there is a need to connect the department ofagriculture's expertise and longstanding tracking of farmland purchases with cfius operations. i urge colleagues to pass h.r. 1713. i applaud mr. lucas and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1713 as amended. those in favor, say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed. and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from missouri seek recognition? mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 3352 as amended. the clerk: union calendar number 93, h.r. 3352 a bill to require

the securities and exchange commission to revise rules relating to general solicitation or general advertising to allow for presentations or other communication made by or on behalf of an issuer at certain events and for other purposes pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from missouri, mrs. wagner, and the gentleman from california, each will control 20 minutes. mrs. wagner: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on this bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. i rise in support of h.r. 3352, the helping angels lead our startups act and thank congressman lawler for his leadership on this bipartisan bill. around the country, early stage

entrepreneurs are developing new technologies, products and services, not in board rooms, but in shared work spaces, university labs and community accelerators. at this stage, the most important they need is capital and often a chance to talk with potential investors. that's what makes events like demo days so important. these are informational forums where startups share their business ideas, not investment pitches. but under earlier s.e.c. guidance, even participating in one of these events could be considered a quote, general solicitation which could block the startup from using key offering exemptions. the s.e.c. has addressed this rule 148, h.r. 3352 codifies those protections ensures that demo day participation does not

intentionally violate securities laws providing certain conditions are met. this bill strikes the right balance. it doesn't weaken investor protections but ensures our regulations don't punish small businesses for talking about their work. h.r. 3352 supports entrepreneurship and encouragees capital formation and reflects how innovation actually happens. i urge my colleagues to support it. and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from from missouri reserves. the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. sherman: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized mr. sherman: i rise in support of h.r. 33552 helping angel lead our startups or halos act of 2025. sponsored by the gentleman from new york, mr. lawler.

i do want to comment about the terminology of the bill. let's face it, this is not an effort to help charity or perhaps guide our angels. we got halos, angels. these are private investors trying to get the best deal for themselves. that being said and perhaps not giving them full halo status, these investor play an important role in our economy even if they name themselves after the angels in heaven. it allows they them to discuss at demo days. without such discussions counting as a general sole is taste under our securities' regulations and therefore necessitating s.e.c. registration. it defines what an angle investor is. they are well-off individuals

that invest their money into startups. again, i know that angels enter heaven, whether well-off individuals enter heaven is a discussion for a more theological venue. the current bill prohibits demo days taking place at facilities owned by religious institutions. so that is what is prohibited but allows both native american striebs and startup incubators to host them. i am aware that several bad actors took advantage of the halo of being in a church to get investments that were inappropriate. this has been an issue for ranking member waters. she has negotiated changes in this bill at the committee level. i am pleased that representative lawler and ranking member waters agreed to remove churches and

religious institutions as sites for these demo days in the bill which eliminates substantially the outstanding concerns of financial services democrats. i am pleased to recommend to vote yes on this bill. and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california reserves. the gentlewoman from missouri is recognized. mrs. wagner: i yield to the gentleman from new york as much time as he wishes tore consume. the gentleman is recognized mr. lawler: i rise in support of my bill h.r. 3352 halos act, a bill i reintroduced this congress with representative gottheimer of new jersey. america's small businesses have faced a tough road weathering the impacts of covid, high inflation and burdensome regulations that made it harder to grow and compete and serve as the backbone of our economy, driving innovation, creating jobs and keeping the american dream alive. according to the small business

administration, firms with fewer than 500 employees account for 43.5% of our nation's g.d.p. since 2019 they are accountable for 70% of job net new creation and 40,000 new business applications, each month a 50% increase compared to 2019. that kind of momentum deserves our full support. we should be doing everything we can to encourage investment, foster innovation and make it easier, not harder, for entrepreneurs to succeed. i introduced the helping ainge elogist lead our startups act. this bipartisan bill which i am proud to lead along side representative gottheimer to give startups to connect with potential investors. the halos act clarifies the definition of general solicitation and allows startups to participate in demo day

events without fear of running afoul of outdated securities regulations and defines what it means to be an angle investor helping entrepreneurs who they are engage iing with. these changes are not about deregulation but about opening doors. they make it easier for new businesses to get the early capital they need to hire, grow and contribute to a dynamic competitive economy and we know this model works. angel investors help amazon, google, facebook, costco and starbucks names we recognize today that started as small ideas in need of capital and support. by reducing legal uncertainty especially around demo day events, we are giving more room for underrepresented entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas and access funding. it is a chance to level the

playing field and build america's next generation of businesses. i am proud during the committee process, we were able to make thoughtful revisions to address concerns raised by the ranking member. i want to thank chairman hill for advancing this bill as well as my colleague, the chair woman of the subcommittee on capital markets as well as congressman gottheimer. the halos act builds on the success of the jobs act and common sense forward to modernize our rules and strengthen our economy. i urge my colleagues to support the bill and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york yields back. mrs. wagner: i am prepared to close if the gentleman is. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california. mr. sherman: i have no further speakers on our side. and am prepared to close. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized mr. sherman: mr. speaker, i yield myself the balance of my

time. i urge all members to support h.r. 3352, the helping angels lead our startups sponsored by mr. lawler. this legislation will have easier access to funding while addressing the issues of certain bad actors taking advantage of susceptible investors. this bill will amplify our nation's great tradition to start and grow businesses. i ask my colleagues to vote yes and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from missouri is recognized. mrs. wagner: h.r. 3352 supports entrepreneurship and reflects how innovation actually happens. i urge my colleagues to support mr. lawler's bill, h.r. 3352 and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back, the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the

bill h.r. 3352 as amended. those in favor, say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended and the bill is passed and without objection, bill is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from missouri seek recognition? the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 96 h.r. 2225 a bill to permit a registered investment company to emit certain fees from acquired fund fees and expenses and for other purposes pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from missouri and the gentleman from california each will control 20 minutes. mrs. wagner: i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may

consume. mr. speaker, i rise today in support of h.r. 2225, the access to small business investor capital act. i thank congressman sherman and the bipartisan co-sponsors for their work on this bill. this is a narrowly tailored fix to a longstanding problem that is hell thanking b.d.c. that congress created to help small and ms.-sized business to access capital. the s.e.c. acquired fund fees and expenses that invest in b.d.c.'s to count the b.d.c.'s internal expenses as part of their own expense ratio. the result is a higher reported cost even those those fees aren't paid by the investor. . . . .

that means fewer dollars flowing to small businesses on main street. h.r. 2225 fix this is and allows funds to include b.d.c. expenses from their affi calculation while improving accuracy and transparency. this is a smart, bipartisan solution that removes an unintended barrier to capital formation without reducing investor protections. i urge my colleagues to support the bill and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from missouri reserves. the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. sherman: consume. i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sherman: i want to thank the chair and ranking member to getting us to this stage on this

bill. i also want to thank the co-sponsors of this bill. we have just from the committee some 13 democrats and 18 members of the committee to sponsor this bill and want to thank the original co-sponsors, mr. huizenga, mr. cash yawno and ms. -- mr. carbiano and ms. bynum for bringing us to this point. it's a bipartisan bill and like all the fascinating bills that come to the floor of the house, it deals with accounting. like the most important bills that come to the floor of the house, it deals with accounting. in this case, accounting for the expense ratios of mutual funds. this bipartisan bill, h.r. 2225, the access to small business investor capital act makes a narrow technical correction of the federal securities rules

that had a major unintended consequences over the last two decades. in 1980, congress created the small -- created the business development companies to facilitate capital formation and get that capital small and medium sized businesses. i want to point out, as we've had tighter and tighter bank regulations, banks have been reluctant to add money to small businesses except where their risks are guaranteed by the small business administration and s.b.a. loans are of course limited. we need b.d.c.'s to provide investment and provide management assistance to growing businesses that are often underserved by traditional lending institutions. over time, b.d.c.'s have filled that critical gap in capital markets by funding businesses and industries and geographies

often overlooked by other financial institutions. b.d.c.'s are often the first institutional investors to step in. this bill will play an important role to getting b.d.c.'s the capital they then put in small and medium-sized businesses. calculations are $120 billion more will be available to invest in b.d.c.'s and we expect a 30% investment and this opens the door to mutual fund investments in b.d.c.'s. despite the success of b.d.c.'s in 2006, the s.e.c. had adopted a rule that inadvertently discouraged capital into b.d.c.'s to constrain small businesses. it's part of the acquired fund expenses framework, affe to

acquire mutual funds and other vehicles that invest in b.d.c.'s to disclose as management fees of the mutual fund the expenses, the overhead of the b.d.c. this is in radical opposition to how similar investments are treated. if a mutual fund invests in the bank, the mutual fund of course lists as a expense of the mutual fund the expenses of the mutual fund but it does not list the overhead of the bank as if that's an expense of running the mutual fund. banks and b.d.c.'s are two of the major types of institutions that make business investments in business loans. the double accounting of b.d.c.'s in the -- by counting those as expenses of the mutual fund simply makes it impossible

for mutual funds to invest in b.d.c.'s. the s.e.c. rule artificially inflates the expense ratios of those mutual funds that choose to invest in b.d.c.'s and so many of them don't. the result is misleading and investors see a fund's expenses higher than they actually are because the fund decides to invest in b.d.c.'s and this exception allowed many managers to exclude b.d.c.'s from the portfolio, not because of performance but the distorted regulatory accounting. the intent of this rule to provide transparency was well-meaning but the execution, when applied to b.d.c.'s, has been counterproductive. research by u.s. international financial professors shows that b.d.c.'s were removed from the major u.s. stock indexes as a consequence of this misguided affe rule. and b.d.c.'s experienced a 29%

lower investment growth as compared to other potential investments. the effects were not limited to the financial sector. companies that rely on b.d.c.'s saw lower job creation with employment falling between 1.5%. unlike passive funds, b.d.c.'s are actively managed and intentionally incur higher costs in order to provide tailored investment advisory services to the small businesses they invest in. this model creates long-term value but the affe rule unfairly penalizes it. this is of course a departure, the rule is inconsistent with the way the affe rule applies to mutual fund investments in reitz and more importantly the way it applies to mutual fund investments in banks.

because of this rule's miscounting, b.d.c.'s were removed from several stock indexes as i pointed out earlier and if the s.e.c. had the benefit of hindsight, i think it is unlikely they would have adopted this rule which contradicts the rule they have for investments in banks and reitz and why congress needs to reverse this. the access to small business investment capital act fixes this by allowing b.d.c.'s acquire fund fees and expenses from disclosures while maintaining transparency around the b.d.c. management fees and costs. this restores fairness and aligns the regulatory disclosures with reality and gives investors a clear view of actual costs and does so without rolling back investor protections or weakening s.e.c. oversight. i want to point out this bill

will provide $120 billion of capital to small and medium sized businesses without a penny of cost to the annual taxpayer and without any risk to the american taxpayer. and would open the door to more b.k.c.'s and therefore unlocking capital for small and medium sized businesses. the most important thing our capital markets can do is provide capital for growing american enterprises particularly small and medium sized businesses. business development companies play a vital role and i'm prepared to work with a bipartisan group of members. as i pointed out earlier, we have a substantial number of co-sponsors, 25 in all, including 13 democrats on the committee. and we've seen bipartisan support for this bill not only

in this congress but prior congresses and this is the congress we actually have to get it adopted. the bipartisan legislation would open more investments, unlock capital for small businesses as i've said, and i would urge my colleagues to support this bill and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california reserves. the gentlewoman from missouri is recognized. mrs. wagner: i'm prepared to close so i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sherman: i have no additional speakers on my side and am prepared to close and yield myself the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sherman: i think this is the best thing congress can do without risk or cost to the american taxpayer make sure small and medium sized

businesses have access to capital and with the b.d.c. methodology, b.d.c.'s not only provide the capital but also provide the advice so many growing businesses need. i want to thank the original co-sponsors i mentioned earlier and all the co-sponsors of this bill. i want to once again thank the chair and the ranking member to getting us to this point. and i urge my colleagues to support this bill. and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from california yields back. the gentlewoman from missouri is recognized. mrs. wagner: this is a smart solution that removes a barrier without reducing investor protections. i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 2225 and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the question is will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 2225 as amended? those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. mr. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative,

the rules are suspended, the bill is passed, and without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from missouri seek recognition? mrs. wagner: i move to pass the bill h.r. 3394 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 35, h.r. 3394, a bill to amend the securities act of 1933 to codify certain qualifications of individuals as accredited investors for purposes of the securities laws. the speaker pro tempore: pursuan t to the rule, the gentlewoman from missouri, mrs. wagner, and the gentleman from california, mr. sherman, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from missouri. mrs. wagner: i ask all members have five legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady is recognized. mrs. wagner: i rise in strong support h.r. 3294, the fair

opportunities for professional experts act. i want to thank our financial services committee chairman, the gentleman from arkansas, mr. hill, for his leadership on this bipartisan legislation. for decades, the s.e.c.'s accredited investor definition has served as a gatekeeper to private investment opportunities, relying almost entirely on income and network thresholds. but this approach has excluded millions of americans who may not meet those qualifications but have the licenses and professional experiences to make informed investment decisions. h.r. 3394 modernizes that definition and directs the s.e.c. to expand eligibility to individuals who hold certain professional certifications relevant degrees, or job experience, criteria that actually reflect financial sophistication. this change is long overdue and will unlock capital for small

businesses, broaden investor participation, and better align our rules on how americans build expertise and manage risk in today's economy. the bill maintains investor protections while removing arbitrary barriers that have held back individual investors and early stage entrepreneurs alike. i urge my colleagues to support this commonsense reform, and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from missouri reserves. the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. sherman: i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sherman: i want to commend the gentlelady from missouri for all her work chairing the subcommittee on professional markets as well as the hearings we've had on this bill and look forward to working with her on the subcommittee for many years to come. i rise in support of h.r. 3394, the fair investment opportunities for professional experts act offered by my friend

and financial services committee chair, french hill. this bill is the first step in what i hope will be an effort to reform the definition of a credited investor. this bill moves us to add to that definition by noting that certain experience and licenses and education can indeed make one an accredited investor. at the same time, i'll point out that our definition of an accredited investor was i think wrongfully decided that we should just focus on whoever is rich, then define people as rich based on 1983 and while a millii rise in support of this bill,

the accredited investor framework has protected the public. unlike our public capital markets in -- private capital markets, companies don't provide the same level of financial or other disclosures. and they are not the same legal protections for investors nor is the same ability for regulators to police the markets. the accredited investment framework was being debated, it was thought that possessed knowledge. these risks include heightened volatility, less transparency, difficulty of obtaining accurate pricing and liquidity. ultimate the industry and business community. the s.e.c. adopted the current definition based on income and

wealth. an investor must have a net worth individually or spouse exceeding one million excluding the value of their home. or they must make more than $200,000 a year or $300,000 with a spouse. those were definitions applicable in 1983 that may not have defined those with the requisite knowledge but define those that were high income, high net worth individuals. and of course, certain professional certifications or designations such as being an investment adviser could also qualify you under the existing rules. the wealth and income thresholds as i said several times set back in 1983. back then, roughly 2% of all americans were considered qualified or accredited investors. as of 2023, that number had

risen to 20%. clearly either the standard was wrong in 1983 or it's wrong now, because it's an entirely different level of real wealth and real income. mr. hill's bill aims to return back to the organization concept, which is that investors and private offerings should be aware of the risks involved. as my friend and ranking member of the financial services committee, ms. waters, has said during our markup of this bill, just because you have a million dollars doesn't mean you understand the complexities of private marnghts. on the other hand, you shouldn't be investing in products if you have full knowledge of the risks involved but don't happen to have a million dollars. our definition when we are done improving it, should focus on

what percentage of net worth a person is investing in the particular private offering or in private offerings in general, because one may be accredited to invest 5% or 10% of their net worth but when you start betting the mortgage payments on one private investment, that is where our definition of accredited investor should protect you from that. there should be diversification and limitation on an amount that an accredited investor can invest in one or all private offerings. this bill makes one important improvement in our definition of accredited investor. it is critical for the s.e. kremplet to update the definition to protect those who don't have proper knowledge or information.

mr. hill's bill moves us in the right direction by indicating certain credentials such as someone with a masters in business administration, an m.b.a. or a certification should be accredited without meeting income or wealth requirements and confirms the mandate to the s.e.c. we must account for inflation. this is the right balance and look forward to passing this bill and look forward to the subcommittee making other changes in the definition of accredited investors. and i support this bill and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from missouri. mrs. wagner: i yield to the gentleman from arkansas and chairman of the financial services committee, mr. hill. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for as much time as he wishes to consume.

mr. hill: i thank mrs. wagner of missouri, thank you for your daily leadership of our agenda to make america more competitive to have the most competitive liquid markets in the world and this bill supports that goal. i thank my friend from california for his comments in support of the bill and he is right. mr. speaker, i think we have learned in our lives that intelligence and wealth aren't directly coral related and this is another example of that, where people are held back to use their expertise and knowledge just because they don't have a specific net worth and h.r. the bill seeks to clarify. many individuals, whether through work, education or other experience have knowledge to make an informed investment decision are excluded simply because of an income or net

worth. before i was in congress, i helped investors and founders start new companies and raise funds through regulation through private placements. i witnessed firsthand on an annual basis how current the liquid witness definition impaired talented innovators from fully participating up front in their business formation dream. this bill with my good friend from california, would expand the definition of accredited investor and allow americans who can demonstrate education or credentials the opportunity to invest in a private offering. it passed out of our financial services committee 45-1. demonstrating clear bipartisan support. so i agree with my friend from california, this bill is a step in the right direction and

offering more chances to participate in the american dream. build capital, help start a business and use their god-given talent, skills, ability and professional expertise to help that company be successful. and with that, i yield back to you. and i urge a yes vote from all the members on both sides of the aisle. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from arkansas yields back. the gentlewoman from missouri is recognized. mrs. wagner: i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the the gentlewoman from missouri reserves. the gentleman from california is recognized. mr. sherman: i have no speakers on my side and i yield myself the balance of the time. i rise in support of chairman hill's bill, h.r. 3394. this bill will improve the definition of accredited investor. i urge a yes vote and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back the balance of his time the gentlewoman from missouri is recognized. mrs. wagner: i yield three

minutes to the gentleman from florida. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized mr. haridopolos: i want to first say it is nice to see our economy moving in the right direction and will give more opportunity to americans to invest with not as many regulations in their way. it is nice to see we recognize that economic security equals national security and by expanding the qualified investor rule, that will give exactly that, more opportunity to others. this bill expands access to private capital markets with those who have proven expertise. the bill allows investors based on licenses, and job experience, not just net worth. it modernizes standards to reflect today's economy by wide i don't knowing the pool. it fuels private investment and business growth while at the same time keeping protections in place by the s.e.c. and for these reasons, i support

the good bill by our chairman. and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentlewoman from missouri is recognized. mrs. wagner: i believe the gentleman has yielded back. so i am prepared to close. mr. speaker, the fair investment opportunities for professional experts act maintains investor protections while removing arbitrary barriers that have held back investors and entrepreneurs alike. i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 3394 and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman yields back. the question is bill the house suspend the rules and pass the bail h.r. 33 -9d 4 as amended. those in favor, say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative -- for what purpose does the gentlewoman from -- mrs. wagner: i request the yeas and nays. the speaker pro tempore: the yeas and nays are requested. all those in favor of taking the

vote by the yeas and nays will rise and remain standing until counted. a sufficient number having arisen, yeas and nays are ordered pursuant to clause 8 of rule 20, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from missouri seek recognition? mrs. wagner: i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 3301 as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: h.r. 3301, a bill to amend the securities exchange act of 1934 to specify certain registration certain content to permit issuers to file draft registration statements with the securities and exchange commission for confidential review and for other purposes. pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from missouri, mrs. wagner. and the gentleman from california, mr. sherman, each will control 20 minutes. mrs. wagner: i ask unanimous consent that all members may

have five legislative days to include extraneous material on this bill. mr. speaker, i yield myself such time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. wagner: i rise today in strong support of h.r. 3301, the elevate act, and thank congressman nunn for his leadership on this forward-looking and bipartisan bill. one of the key successes of the jobs act of 2012 was the creation of emerging growth companies or e.g.c.'s. small and mid-sized firms giving disclosure requirements to encourage them to go public. these companies are a major source of innovation, job creation and economic growth. today over 90% of initial public offerings are filed by e.g.c.'s. what it spins off part of its

business to create a new public company, that spinoff does not get the same treatment despite originating from a company already recognized as an emerging growth company. h.r. 3301 fixes this ininconsistent thy and that they are allowed to provide 2 years of financials when a standard e.g.c. goes public. it helps compliant cases. this is a smart and targeted update to our securities law and honors the original intent of the jobs act to make it easier, not harder, for innovative companies to enter the public markets. i urge my colleagues to support mr. knop's elevate act. and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman from missouri reserves. the gentleman from california is

recognized. mr. sherman: i yield myself such time as i may consume. this bill illustrates that the most fascinating issues are those that involve accounting and auditing. i rise in support of h.r. 3301 elevate ant of 2025 sponsored by mr. nunn. emerging growth companies or e.g.c.'s are a special type of public company that we created during the bipartisan jobs act of 2012. e.g.c.'s only need to provide two years of audited financials when they conduct their official public offering known as an i.p.o. there are some instances where an e.g.c., emerging growth company was required to provide three years of financials. one such instance is when they

conduct a spinoff a transaction where one company creates a new independent company by selling new shares of its existing business. so the one company becomes two separate companies through a spinoff transaction. mr. knop's bill reduces this obligation to two years, only two years of audited financials keeping in line with what is required when the e.g.c. itself goes public. it streamlines the financial obligations across the board making it easier for them to raise capital from the public. i urge my colleagues to vote yes on this important bill. and i reserve. . . . . >> i yield as much time as he may consume to mr. nunn. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. nunn: thank you, mr. speaker. and thank you, chairwoman wagner, for leading this charge

on a bipartisan effort. i rise today, mr. speaker, to support our bipartisan elevate act. let me start by saying we all know this to be true. the american capital markets is the envy of the world. and part of that strength comes from the bipartisan work of this very chamber. particularly with the passage of the jobs act 13 years ago. one of the biggest successes of that law was the creation of the emerging growth companies or e.c.g.'s to encourage smaller companies to go public here, right in the united states. the jobs act didn't expand just that opportunity. it created new jobs. in the four years after the change, e.c.g.'s made up 90% of our initial public offerings. moreover, it created 82,000 new jobs, new careers, right here in the u.s. i believe we can't stop there. iowa's third district, my home

district, i hear from small business owners who want to reinvest in newment request -- new equipment, help expand the workforce and get back to their communities through new innovation. the question remains, what's holding them back? well, mr. speaker, it's quite simply a debt that has been stacked against them by s.e.c. rules that make accessing investment capital complex. more expensive. and harder for those who don't live on the east or west coast to be able to snap up -- who snap up the lion's share of investment dollars before it can even get to the heart of the heartland. iowa's businesses, america's businesses, deserve an equal opportunity to access the capital they need to grow right on main street. these businesses are not backed by billion-dollar valuations or teams of high-powered lawyers. what they do have is grit, innovation and the drive to succeed. they're not asking for special treatment, mr. speaker, just a fair chance to compete. imagine the economic momentum we could unleash right here if we made it easier for those businesses to connect with the

investors and bring them to the rest of america. that's why i introduced the elevate act. this bill makes a simple, commonsense fix to help level the playing field for growing businesses. and in iowa, you know baseball is big business. when you have the opportunity to build it, mr. speaker, they will come. just like "field of dreams." and it allows our e.g.c. spinoffs to file confidentially with the s.e.c., requiring 24 months of audited financials rather than the historic 36 months that had red tape and additional costs. this ensures quality while minimizing the impact. theetion changes a-- these changes align to the rules so all e.g.c.'s, whether stand-alone or part of a larger spinoff, can compete. mr. speaker, quite simply, this is about fairness. it allows small businesses in rural america to play by the same rules as companies on wall street. it's about giving a startup in pella the same shot as a company in palo alto and it's about jobs. real jobs right here at home.

we know the jobs act works. now we have a chance to build on that success. by passing the elevate act, we make it easier for main street businesses to get access to the capital they need. i want to thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for working with me to ensure we give access to every american business a fair chance at success. thank you to chairman hill for his leadership on the financial committee and thank you to our subcommittee chairwoman ann wagner who knows capital markets probably better than anyone on this house floor. with that, i urge my colleagues to support the bipartisan elevate act and i yield my time. johnson wagner mr. speaker, i'm -- mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i'm prepared to close if the gentleman is. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. sherman: mr. speaker, i have no further speakers on my side and i'm prepared to close. and i believe the gentlelady from missouri has no further speakers. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sherman: mr. speaker, i yield myself the balance of my time. i want to commend the gentleman from iowa, mr. nunn, on this

bill. i want to urge my colleagues to support the elevate act of 2025 which would streamline -- 2025 which would streamline auditing requirements for emerging growth companies, also known as e.g.c.'s, so those e.g.c.'s only need to provide two years of audited financial statements across the board. like other bills that democrats and republicans have come to bipartisan agreement on, this bill balances the concern of those trying to raise capital while also maintaining disclosures and financial transparency that benefit and protect investors and thereby protect our capital markets which so many speakers have pointed out are the envy of the world. i ask my colleagues to vote yes on this bill and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields. the gentlewoman from missouri. johnson wagner mr. speaker, -- mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, mr. nunn's elevate act is a smart, targeted update to our securities law. i urge all my colleagues to support h.r. 3301 and i yield

back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: ok. the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 3301, as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from missouri seek recognition? mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 3381, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 86. h.r. 3381. a bill to amend a securities act of 1933 to expand the ability to use testing the waters and confidential draft registration submissions and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from missouri, mrs. wagner, and the gentleman from california, mr. sherman, each will control to 20 minutes -- each will control 20 minutes.

the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from missouri. mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five elective days to -- legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i rise today in support of my bill, h.r. 3381, the encouraging public offerings act. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. wagner: this legislation, mr. speaker, builds on the success of the jobs act by making it easier for companies of all sizes to go public. while maintaining the transparency and investor protections our markets depend on. h.r. 3381 allows any company, not just emerging growth companies, to test the waters. by gauging investor interest before or after filing with the s.e.c. it also ensures that an issuer can submit a confidential draft registration statement before

making it public, giving companies more flexibility and clarity as they prepare to go public. these tools, mr. speaker, testing the waters and confidential filings, have proven valuable since the jobs act, especially for smaller companies navigating the complexities of going public. my bill makes them available to all issuers, with consistent timelines tied to when a registration statement becomes effective, not when a road show begins. this bill is about giving growing businesses the confidence to enter the public markets and helping them reach new investors, expand operations, and create jobs across our country. i want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and my democratic co-sponsor, mr. meeks, for supporting these efforts to modernize our capital markets. and i urge all members to

support this bipartisan bill. mr. speaker, i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. sherman: i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sherman: thank you, mr. speaker. i rise today in support of h.r. 3381, the encouraging public offerings act of 2025, sponsored by the chair of the relevant subcommittee, the capital markets subcommittee, that being the gentlewoman from missouri, mrs. wagner. i commend her for her bill and her work in general on these issues. this bill codifies an s.e.c. rule that allows any issuer to submit a confidential draft of the registration statement for review by the s.e.c. staff. in doing so, it allows companies seeking to access public markets more time to carefully draft their registration statements, under s.e.c.'s guidance, without needing to worry about the contents of their registration

statement being made public before they've had a chance to cross all their t's and dot all their i's. mrs. wagner's bill also codifies a 2019 s.e.c. rulemaking that allows any issuer to test the waters before going public which would allow any issuer to gauge institutional investor interest in their offering without first needing to file a registration statement with the s.e.c. overall, this makes it easier for companies to access our capital markets and to go public. i urge my colleagues to support this bill. i think it's important that we encourage companies to go public both so they can get the capital they need to expand their business and so that any person has a chance to invest in these businesses and diversify their own portfolio. i urge my colleagues to vote yes on this bill and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from missouri. mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i am prepared to close and i reserve.

the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. sherman: i have no further speakers and i'm prepared to close, given that the gentlelady from missouri has no further speakers. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sherman: mr. speaker, i yield myself the balance of my time. i urge my colleagues to vote yes on h.r. 3381, the encouraging public offerings act of 2025, sponsored by the chair of our subcommittee, mrs. wagner from missouri, which would allow issuers to take advantage of confidential draft registration statements that are currently available only to e.g.c.'s. it also makes it easier for companies to have access to capital by giving them the ability to gauge interest from institutional investors without added regulatory requirements of registration. i ask my colleagues to support this bill. i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman yields back. the gentlewoman from missouri. mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, in closing the encouraging public

offerings act is about giving growing businesses the confidence to enter the public markets and helping them reach new investors, expand operations and create jobs across the country. i ask my colleagues to support my bill, h.r. 3381, and i yield back the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlelady yields back. the question is now will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 3381, as amended. those in favor say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 of those voting having responded in the affirmative, the rules are suspended, the bill is passed and, without objection, the motion to reconsider is laid on the table. ok. for what purpose does the gentlewoman from missouri seek recognition? mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i move to suspend the rules and pass the bill, h.r. 1190, as amended. the speaker pro tempore: the clerk will report the title of the bill. the clerk: union calendar number 92. h.r. 1190. a bill to amend the securities exchange act of 1934, to expand

access to capital for rural area small businesses and for other purposes. the speaker pro tempore: pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from missouri, mrs. wagner, and the gentleman from california, mr. sherman, each will control 20 minutes. the chair recognizes the gentlewoman from missouri. the speaker pro tempore: mr. speaker, i ask unanimous consent that all members may have five legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on this bill. the speaker pro tempore: without objection. mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i yield myself as much time as i shall consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman is recognized. mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i rise in support of h.r. 1190, the expanding access to capital for rural job creators act. and i commend congressman downing for leading this commonsense, bipartisan bill. too often the conversation around capital formation is centered on financial hubs like new york and san francisco, but the backbone of america's economy is the local business communities and cities and towns

and rural areas across all 50 states. the family-run manufacturers, agricultural innovators, entrepreneurs and smalltown tax startups. these businesses face unique but very real obstacles when trying to raise capital. h.r. 1190 ensures that those voices aren't left out. the bill directs the s.e.c.'s office of the advocate for small business capital formation to proactively engage with rural communities, study the structural funding gaps that they face, and tackle their challenges when crafting policy. this is not about expanding bureaucracy, it's about sharpening the focus of an office that already exists, to ensure that its mission reflects the incredible variety of businesses that are the engine of the u.s. economy. we all have rural counties in our districts where hardworking small business owners are ready to grow.

if only they can access the capital they need. this bill gives them a seat at the table and a voice in sharpening the policies that effect their future. i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 1190 and i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. sherman: i yield myself as much time as i may consume. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized. mr. sherman: thank you. up until now, on each of these bills, i've been speaking fast. but i know that the next two bills, mr. rose and ms. waters are planning to get here in just the next few minutes. and since they're not here yet, does the house no harm for me to speak more slowly. and perhaps at with that, i rise in support of h.r. 1190, expanding access to

capital for rural job creators act sponsored by my colleague, the gentleman from montana. i'll point out, i am uniquely unqualified to address this bill because my district is in an urban area, that of the great city of los angeles, but even i recognize the importance of getting capital to our small businesses in rural areas. i support this legislation which would require the s.e.c.'s office of the advocate for small business capital formation to report on capital access issues faced by small rural businesses. currently, the s.e.c. small business advocate reports on small businesses that are minority owned or women owned or in disaster-stricken area. but the law does not report on

business areas. it adds rural businesses to the list covered by the entities of the small business advocate and the entities that the small business advocate will report on. small businesses no matter where they are located or owned by are the backbone of the american economy. helping small businesses should be about as nonpartisan as we can get here in congress. lawmakers should be doing everything we can to support them. those businesses located in rural areas face unique challenges. we have had other speakers on other bills talk about how so many of our financial institutions and business investors are focused on the east or the west coast. are focused in new york or silicon valley or some of the other large cities in our country. it is important, therefore, that the small business advocate also

report on the needs of rural small businesses who are seeking to raise capital. lawmakers and regulators should be focused on those businesses. this is common sense and i hope my colleagues will support it. i want to commend the gentleman from montana for bringing this bill to the floor. and i look forward to continue to discussing this bill. and with that, i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman reserves. the gentlewoman from missouri. mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, i yield as much time as he may consume, to my friend, the gentleman from montana. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized down down small businesses are the backbone of minnesota's small

bestes mr. downing: that's about the national average. these businesses historically have difficulty accessing the funding they need to borrow and create job and their location presents an added challenge. 12% of u.s. businesses are located within rural areas, yet they receive less than 1% of venture capital. many of the communities i represent have communities under 500 people. these overlooked people and places have inspired my legislation, h.r. 1190, expanding access to capital for rural job creators act. as any small business owner can attest, number one barrier to growth is access to capital. through my own experiences, i know how difficult it can be for businesses to secure the funding they need to grow. i built businesses in

technology, manufacturing, distilling and real estate and the primary driver and the success in all of these was access to capital. the s.e.a.'s office of the advocate for small business capital to identify capital that small businesses face. rural small businesses are currently excluded from the required. my legislation simply requires this office to identify and report to congress the challenges faced by rural small businesses when trying to access our capital markets. h.r. 1190 will make it easier for members of congress to do our jobs to make sure rural businesses are not left behind. i want to thank representative bynum for partnering with me on this legislation. i was happy to see it pass out of the financial services committee. i urge my colleagues to support

this commonsense legislation and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. mrs. wagner: i am prepared to close, mr. speaker. and i reserve. the speaker pro tempore: the gentlewoman reserves. the gentleman from california. mr. sherman: how many more minutes do i have left? the speaker pro tempore: 17 minutes. mrs. wagner: mr. speaker? the speaker pro tempore: 16 minutes. mrs. wagner: i would like to inform the ranking member after we close out this particular bill -- mr. sherman: if it is possible for us to recess and then take up the other legislation, we can do that or i can mrs. wagner: i wanted to for your information let you know that. mr. sherman: ok. i am prepared to close and i reserve. mr. sherman: i yield myself the

balance of my time. it's my understanding that the house has no further legislative business after we consider the bills that are before us today. the authors of the last two bills for consideration are on their way. so should i speak slowly or should we go into recess? either way, we are not delaying the house. i urge members to support h.r. 1190 expanding access to capital for rural job creators act. it is a simple but important step to directing the s.e.c.'s small business advocate to include rural businesses in their reporting. as i have noted before, currently the small business advocate reports on the challenges faced by minority-owned, women-owned and

disaster small businesses and would add small businesses to the list. this is a gap we need to fix. and small business in accessing capital and deserve the same attention as the other types of businesses that the advocate focuses on. no matter where we are located or who owns them, small businesses is the backbone and they should be a bipartisan priority and this bill is a step in the right direction. with the understanding that we will be able to deal with the bills that come before us that are scheduled to come before us even after a short recess. i urge a yes vote on h.r. 1190 and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the alyields back. the gentlewoman from missouri. mrs. wagner: mr. speaker, in closing the expanding access to capital for rural job creators

act takes care of our hard working small business owners that are ready to grow. they deserve a seat at the table, mr. speaker. i urge my colleagues to support h.r. 1190 and commend the representative from montana, mr. downing, and i yield back. the speaker pro tempore: the question is, will the house suspend the rules and pass the bill h.r. 1190 as amended. those in favor, say aye. those opposed, no. in the opinion of the chair, 2/3 being in the affirmative, the rules are suspended and the bill is passed and without objection, the motion to reconsider. pursuant to clause 12-a, rule 1, the chair declares the house in recess for a period of less than

aims to consolidate several d.o.j. offices. watch the senate appropriations subcommittee hearing tonight starting at 9:00 eastern on c-span. it's also available on c-span now, our free mobile app, or

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